Chinese blockbuster movie "Dying to Survive" has prompted Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to address issues on expensive cancer drugs in China.
The movie, which took $390-million during its first two weeks, has sparked public debates over the so-called inaccessibility of affordable cancer drugs in the country. Because of this, Li called for the availability of affordable cancer drugs in the market.
In the government website, Li said that there is a need to "speed up price cuts for cancer drugs" as well as to "reduce the burden on families." He also urged Chinese regulators to act immediately over this problem.
The "Dying to Survive" is a Chinese drama film that depicts the life of a struggling man who smuggled in cheap cancer drugs and medications from India to China. Co-produced and funded by Alibaba Pictures, and film studios Beijing Culture and Dirty Monkeys, the movie is inspired from a true story of Chinese businessman Lu Yong. Lu was arrested five years ago for smuggling cancer drugs in China. His case was dismissed after it sparked series of public debates.
Famous Chinese comedy actor Xu Zheng played the role of Lu.
The film was the second highest earner worldwide during its weekend launch after "Ant-Man and the Wasp" of Marvel and Walt Disney. The "Dying to Survive" is, so far, the biggest grossing film in the history of Chinese film industry. It surpassed international blockbusters "Jurassic World" and "Avengers: Infinity War."
"As a film that criticizes what is actually happening, it could only become popular because it got the level of criticism right to pass China's censors," said film industry expert Gao Wei at the China Centre for Globalization.
Film critic Yang Eryu also said that the movie opens Chinese films to the worldwide market. "This little step might actually be a big step for domestically made films," he stated.
Meanwhile, cancer has been the number one illness in China. More than four million Chinese are diagnosed with cancer every year. And this makes cancer medicines very important in the country.
Based on previous reports, cancer facilities and treatments are not distributed equally in China. This is most evident in the countryside which is served lesser than those who are in the urban areas.
Treatments and medicines for cancer patients are also said to be expensive in China. This prompted the Chinese government to address the issue by getting rid of tariffs on all imported drugs for cancer.
