“Rajasthan Adds CAR-T Cell Therapy to RGHS Scheme”
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19 Aug 2026
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Rajasthan Adds CAR-T Cell Therapy to RGHS Scheme
JAIPUR — In a major expansion of tertiary healthcare coverage, the Rajasthan state government has formally incorporated Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) Therapy into the approved medical packages under the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS).
The policy expansion, approved under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, extends coverage for the advanced immunotherapy to active state government employees, pensioners, and their eligible dependents. The initiative aims to alleviate the severe financial burden associated with specialized treatments for aggressive, relapsed blood cancers.
Strengthening Social Security for Government Personnel
Commenting on the executive decision, Chief Minister Sharma emphasized that safeguarding the health and welfare of state personnel remains a core administrative commitment.
"The health and safety of our government employees and their families is our top priority," CM Sharma stated via social media platform X. "The inclusion of CAR-T Cell Therapy under RGHS packages provides a strong foundation of modern health security for personnel and their dependents battling severe diseases."
CAR-T Cell Therapy represents a landmark advancement in personalized oncology. Unlike conventional chemotherapy or radiation, this form of cellular immunotherapy harnesses and re-engineers a patient's own immune system.
T-cells are extracted from the patient's blood and genetically modified in specialized laboratories to express synthetic Chimeric Antigen Receptors. These altered cells are trained to identify specific target proteins found on cancer cells. Once multiplied in culture and re-infused into the patient's bloodstream, the reprogrammed T-cells locate and systematically destroy malignant cells.
The treatment is primarily indicated for patients suffering from specific hematological malignancies—including relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma—who have exhausted standard therapeutic options. Specialized clinical infrastructure and trained medical teams capable of administering the treatment and managing complex post-infusion reactions are operational at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur.
Pre-Authorisation and Eligibility Framework
Because CAR-T Cell Therapy requires precise patient selection, the state health department has established strict clinical oversight guidelines aligned with the state's official oncology framework issued on June 6.
Mandatory Pre-Authorisation: Beneficiaries cannot undergo hospital admission for the therapy without prior institutional authorization.
Medical Board Evaluation: Treatment protocols must be reviewed and formally recommended by a specialized oncology board at SMS Hospital or an empanelled tertiary cancer care center.
Patient Selection Criteria: Due to the complex nature of cellular therapy, eligibility will be strictly evaluated based on disease stage, previous treatment response, and overall physiological fitness.
Standardized Rates: Approved treatments will be reimbursed or cleared under pre-agreed RGHS package rates, which align with Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) benchmarks.
Health department officials noted that integrating cellular immunotherapies into public health coverage modernizes Rajasthan’s medical infrastructure while bringing world-class cancer care within reach of civil servants.
