Dr. Sunil J. Parekh

Dr. Sunil J. Parekh has been practicing medicine for almost 40 years in an unassuming office building in Mumbai, India. Among the thousands of newly diagnosed cancer patients that he has seen over the years are those with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a rare form of bone marrow cancer.

"Too often, there was nothing we could offer them in the Third World," says Dr. Parekh, a Hematology specialist. Then in 2001 came what Dr. Parekh describes as "a totally new concept of medicine," a breakthrough cancer medication developed by Novartis Oncology.

In 2002, within a year after the first approval of the new medication, Novartis Oncology introduced GIPAP™, providing the drug by full donation to properly diagnosed CML and GIST patients in countries around the world without government or private reimbursement who are unable to pay for the medication. Novartis Oncology also developed patient and healthcare professional education and personal support programs that are valuable in maximizing treatment success.

"This medication has revolutionized treatment of CML all over the world," says Dr. Parekh, "especially developing markets like India, Pakistan and Africa." Dr. Parekh says it truly has been a wonder drug for his patients. "We usually see improvement by one month, more improvement by three months, and we can usually give them assurance that by 12 months, they will be leading a healthy, good-quality life."