The government is doing the best possible for research on cancer and the Department of Biotechnology's funding for such activities has resulted in vastly improved understanding of the disease, Union Minister Harsh Vardhan said on July 12.

Observing that cancer is a serious disease, the Science and Technology Minister told the Lok Sabha that best possible is being done for research on cancer. All future health programmes would focus on preventive and promotive healthcare, Vardhan, who also helms the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said during the Question Hour.

Speaker Om Birla suggested that there can be a discussion in the House on cancer and Vardhan said that he would be happy to respond to queries. The minister said the CSIR-National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies has not undertaken any research work to check damage to normal cells of the body during cancer treatment.

Apart from Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Indian Council of Medical Research, Department of Biotechnology, Department of Science & Technology, Ministry of AYUSH and Department of Atomic Energy are also working in the area of cancer.

Over the past decade, Department of Biotechnology's funding in cancer research has yielded a vastly improved understanding of the disease, including some of the genetic and environmental factors and biological mechanisms that cause or contribute to cancer, the minister said.

"The Department of Biotechnology has been supporting cancer research in an integrated way to develop new methods to prevent and treat the disease and conducts research especially in challenging areas pertaining to different types of cancer," Vardhan said.