03 September 2022

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

. No.	Topic Name	Prelims/Mains
1.	Money Laundering	Prelims & Mains
2.	Comptroller and Auditor General of India	Prelims & Mains
3.	Militancy in the Kashmir Region	Prelims & Mains
4.	Cell Therapy to treat Cancer	Prelims Specific Topic

1 – Money Laundering: GS III – Internal Security of India and Money Laundering related issues

How it functions:

• Money laundering is the process of giving the appearance that enormous sums of money obtained through criminal activity, such as drug trafficking or terrorist activity, came from a legitimate source.
• Due to the stigma attached to “dirty money,” the procedure “launders” the money to make it seem clean.
• To put it simply, it is the act of making money that comes from one source seem to come from another.
• The term “money laundering” first originated in connection with the American Mafia organisation. Mafia organisations have amassed enormous quantities of money through extortion, gambling, etc., and this money is presented as legal tender. Hawala transactions are the term most frequently used to describe money laundering in India.

Problems with money laundering:

• Global problems like money laundering and terrorism financing not only put security at risk but also compromise the effectiveness, transparency, and stability of financial systems, endangering the economy’s overall health.
• Money laundering generates $590 billion to $1.5 trillion yearly, or around two to five percent of the world’s GDP, according to the International Monetary Fund.
• Money laundering, especially in developing or unstable economies, can have devastating impacts on a country’s economy and social structure.

What Happens During Money Laundering:

• A three-stage process called money laundering hides illegal conduct beneath what appears to be a legitimate financial transaction.
• The introduction of the proceeds of crime into the established financial system marks the beginning of the first phase. Placement is what we call this;
• In order to hide their questionable source, injected money are stacked and spread across a range of transactions in the second stage. This process is referred to as “layering”;
• The third and final stage involves the introduction of funds into the financial system with the goal of erasing their initial ties to criminal activity so that the offender or beneficiary can use them as clean funds. Integration is what is alluded to in this.

Threats from money laundering are evolving:

• Due to the increased use of non-cash payment methods like prepaid cards, internet transactions, and mobile payments, money launderers now have more access points.
• Due to the rapid transaction speed and the infrequent face-to-face interactions between the person initiating the transaction and the service provider, these new payment methods are vulnerable to money laundering activities.
• Money launderers are taking advantage of the growing requirement for financial institutions to identify and enrol their customers online.
• Trade-based money laundering takes advantage of the complexity of trade networks, usually in international settings where the interaction of several parties and nations makes CDD procedures and AML checks more challenging.

Effects of globalisation on money laundering:

• Thanks to the speedy development of financial information, technology, and communication, money can move rapidly and easily anywhere in the globe. Fighting money laundering is now more crucial than ever because of this.
• The further “dirty money” gets into the global banking system, the more difficult it is to identify its origin.
• Due of the clandestine nature of money-laundering, it is difficult to estimate the total amount of money that moves through the laundry cycle.
• Finding, freezing, and forfeiting income and assets earned through illicit activity—the three Fs—has grown more difficult as a result of recent adjustments to the world financial system.
• These include the practise of conducting financial transactions in dollars, sometimes known as “dollarization” of black markets, the general push toward financial deregulation, the growth of the Euromarket, and the emergence of financial secrecy havens.
• Thanks to improvements in technology and communications, the financial infrastructure has developed into a continuously operating global system where “megabyte money” (i.e., money in the form of symbols on computer screens) may travel anywhere in the world quickly and easily.

Indian measures to combat money laundering:

• Before the Prevention of Money Laundering Act of 2002 (PMLA) was passed in India, the main statutes that included steps to address the issue of money laundering were:

The 1961 Income Tax Act

The 1974 Act to Conserve Foreign Exchange and Prevent Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA)

Act of 1976 against Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (SAFEMA)

Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPSA) Act 1985

Prohibiting Benami transactions Act 1988:

Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA)

PMLA: Prevention of Money Laundering Act of 2002:

• The Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 was passed to outlaw the practise and make provisions for the forfeiture of assets obtained through money laundering.
• The Financial Intelligence Unit-India is required to receive information on such transactions in the prescribed format from banking firms, financial institutions, and intermediaries, as well as to verify and maintain records of all client identities (FIU-IND).
• If a banking business, financial institution, or intermediary—or one of its officers—fails to comply with the Act’s requirements, it gives the Director of FIU-IND the authority to sanction those parties.

2015’s Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act:

• by outlining the process for dealing with such income and assets, to address the threat of the black money that exists in the form of undeclared overseas income and assets.

Amendment to the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act of 2015:

• It intends to broaden the definition of “Benami Transactions” and details the punishment that will be meted out to anyone who engages in one.
• The Prevention of Money Laundering Act gives specific officers of the Directorate of Enforcement the authority to conduct investigations into allegations of money laundering and to seize any associated property.

Financial Intelligence Unit:

• As the principal national body in charge of collecting, processing, evaluating, and disseminating information about questionable financial activities, it was founded in India in 2004.
• In order to further the worldwide efforts against money laundering and related crimes, the Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) is also in charge of coordinating and bolstering efforts of national and international intelligence, investigation, and enforcement organisations.
• The Economic Intelligence Council (EIC), which is led by the Finance Minister, receives direct reports from FIU-IND, an independent organisation.

How to Move Forward:

• Increase public awareness of the problem of the illiterate and impoverished.
• The purpose of the KYC Norms is accomplished by doing proper KYC.
• Encourage internet purchases without cash.
• Integrating contemporary technology into criminal financial networks.
• Establishing “White Caps,” using data protection laws, and allowing bank websites to examine money transfers.
• Since reporting suspicious transactions by financial institutions improves the chance that money laundering schemes will be uncovered by law enforcement, doing so must be mandated.
• Financial institution staff members need to be taught to spot potentially suspicious activity.
• If bank employees can identify the characteristics of money laundering transactions, they will uncover more transactions.
• Financial firms should be required to gather extensive client information to ensure they are operating legally. Such a mechanism would make it easier for banks to spot shady transactions.

Conclusion:

• In order to counteract the growing risks of money laundering made possible by modern technologies, big data and artificial intelligence are two equally advanced anti-money laundering strategies that must be deployed. Local and foreign stakeholders must work together by improving mechanisms for exchanging data in order to successfully address the problem of money laundering.

Source The Hindu

2 – Comptroller and Auditor General of India: GS II – Appointment to various Constitutional Posts

Introduction:

• The Comptroller and Auditor General of India is a position that is autonomous according to Article 148 of the Indian Constitution (CAG).
• He is one of the pillars of India’s democratic system of government and the head of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department.
• He oversees the nation’s whole financial system at both the federal and state levels as the protector of the public purse.
• In the area of financial administration, it is his responsibility to maintain the Indian Constitution and parliamentary laws.

Constitutional Provisions for the CAG Office:

• Article 148 broadly addresses the nomination, oath, and terms of duty for the CAG.
• The duties and authority of India’s Comptroller and Auditor General are covered under Article 149.
• According to Article 150, the President may prescribe a format for the Union and State accounts based on advice from the CAG.
• According to Article 151, the president is responsible for ordering the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India’s reports on the Union’s financial statements to be brought before each House of Parliament.
• Article 279: The Comptroller and Auditor-General of India determines and certifies the calculation of “net proceeds,” and his or her certificate is conclusive

Establishment, Term, and Removal:

• A warrant bearing the President of India’s signature and seal appoints the CAG.
• The CAG stays in office for six years or until they reach 65, whichever comes first.
• He can submit a letter of resignation to the president at any moment to leave his position.
• On the same grounds and in the same ways as a Supreme Court judge, he is likewise subject to removal by the president. In other words, the president has the authority to remove him if both Houses of Parliament pass a resolution to that effect with a special majority, either on the basis of shown misconduct or incapacity.

To protect and guarantee the independence of CAG, the following provisions have been incorporated in the Constitution:

• He enjoys tenure security and can only be dismissed by the president in compliance with the steps outlined in the Constitution. Therefore, despite being selected by the president, he does not hold office until the president so chooses.
• After leaving his position, he is ineligible for any other post, either with the Government of India or any state.
• The Parliament sets his pay and other service requirements. His pay is on par with that of a Supreme Court justice.
• After his appointment, neither his salary nor his rights with regard to a leave of absence, pension, or retirement age may be changed to his detriment.
• The Consolidated Fund of India is used to cover the administrative costs of the CAG’s office, including all salaries, benefits, and pensions of those employed there. Parliament does not need to approve these costs.
• No minister may speak on behalf of the CAG in the Parliament (both Houses) or be asked to accept accountability for any of his deeds.

Mission of CAG:

• The Consolidated Fund of India, each state’s Consolidated Fund, and the UT with a legislative assembly all have their accounts audited by the CAG.
• The Public Account of India, the Contingency Fund of India, and the Contingency Fund and Public Account of each state are all audited by CAG for all expenditures.
• All trading, manufacturing, profit and loss, balance sheets, and other subsidiary accounts maintained by any department of the Central Government and the State Governments are audited by CAG.
• When required by relevant laws, CAG audits the revenue and expense of all bodies and authorities that are primarily supported by Central or State revenues, government corporations, and other corporations and bodies.
• His certificate is conclusive in the matter and he determines and certifies the net proceeds of any tax or duty.

Reports:

• He gives the President and Governor his audit reports on the accounts of the Center and the State, and they in turn will present them to the Houses of Parliament and the State Legislature, respectively.
• He gives the President three audit reports: one on appropriation accounts, one on financial accounts, and one on public undertakings.

About PAC and CAG:

• He serves as the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament’s mentor, friend, and philosopher.
• PAC reviews three CAG reports, including the audit reports on public sector undertakings, finance accounts, and appropriation accounts.
• Additionally, CAG supports the committee’s debates by compiling a list of the issues that require the PAC’s immediate attention.
• He also assists in making the committee’s actions and the government’s actions plain to the committee and the witnesses, respectively.
• The role of the CAG can occasionally be that of an interpreter and translator, expressing the viewpoints of the officials to the politicians and vice versa.
• The CAG is still accountable for more things. He must keep an eye on whether the corrective action he proposed has been implemented or not. In situations where action has not been done, he brings the issue to the PAC’s attention.

Issues facing the CAG:

No standards have been set:

• If there are well defined conditions for this, independence can be guaranteed. Such criteria would include the qualities that a candidate must have in order to be selected as CAG as well as the selection process. Transparency in the process is necessary.
• Availability Issue:
• Currently, the Cabinet Secretary creates a shortlist for the finance minister to submit before the prime minister, which is how the CAG gets appointed.
• One nominee from that list is suggested to the president by the prime minister. If the president concurs, a warrant bearing the president’s signature and seal is used to appoint the CAG.
• Such a process is flawed because there is a possibility of an interest conflict.

Diluting Responsibility:

• The Indian government, which is led by the prime minister, is audited by the CAG.
• There is a risk that a “pliable” person could become the CAG if the head of the auditee chooses the person to audit his organisation, which could weaken accountability.

CAG Report Delays and Reductions:

• Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports have been delayed and are still pending; critics refer to this as being “CAGed”.
• According to a recent response to a Right To Information (RTI) request, the total number of CAG reports pertaining to central government ministries and departments decreased from 55 in 2015 to just 14 in 2020, a decrease of over 75%.

Changes Required:

Establishing Independence:

• In order to ensure that the head of their Supreme Audit Institution operates independently and is not influenced by the Executive, whose performance he is required to evaluate and give an audit opinion on attaining the objectives, the majority of nations have passed laws establishing certain qualifications as well as the process of appointment.
• The UK’s Exchequer and Audit Act, as revised in 1983, states that the Prime Minister and the Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts will jointly choose the CAG, who would then be approved by the House of Commons. Transparency in Appointment:
• An institutional system must be established in India in order to promote transparency and objectivity in the CAG selection process.
• A list of people with these qualifications might be created. After that, a high-level committee may assess the candidates’ personalities and suggest to the president a list of three candidates, only one of whom can be selected.

Stopping Delays:

• Similar to the citizen’s right under the RTI Act of 2005 to obtain information within a month, auditors should have priority access to documents within seven days; if not, heads of departments should be compelled to offer an explanation for the delay.

Steps to increase CAG’s effectiveness:

• After the Big Data revolution, the CAG released a Big Data management strategy and opened a Centre for Data Management and Analytics in Delhi, both of which are positive developments.
• The 2017 Commonwealth Auditors General Conference was held at CAG of India. The two conference themes were using technology in public audit and environmental audit. Partnerships between Commonwealth nations for the development of public auditing competence were fostered by the conference.
• The fact that CAG was able to audit the UN headquarters, which involves numerous complicated activities, demonstrates the reliability of Indian CAG.

Conclusion:

• Reforms at the CAG office are crucial because the CAG helps the parliament and state legislatures keep their respective governments responsible.
• He is one of the pillars of India’s democratic system of government and, as B.R. Ambedkar put it, the most significant position in the Indian Constitution.

Source The Hindu

3 – Militancy in the Kashmir Region: GS III – Internal Security of India

Background:

• The Treaty of Lahore was signed following the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the Sikhs’ defeat.
• On behalf of the East India Company, Governor-General Sir Henry Harding signed the deal.
• Gulab Singh obtained control of Kashmir’s land as a result of a treaty; the Dogra dynasty has dominated the region ever since.

Upon achieving independence:

• Maharaja Hari Singh, a Hindu ruler, oversaw a populace that was about 77 percent Muslim.
• Diversity in culture and pluralism are hallmarks of the state.
• major areas of the state:
• Muslims of the Sunni faith predominate in the hill region’s north.
• Hindus dominate Jammu’s plains.
• Buddhists and some Shia Muslims predominated in the hilly region of Ladakh.
• The geopolitically significant region of Gilgit and Baltistan has borders with China and Afghanistan and is sparsely populated by Shia Muslims.
• Sikhs can be found in the state’s Jammu and Kashmir regions.

Jammu and Kashmir joining India:

• Hari Singh, the state’s monarch, put off making a choice concerning the future of his state at the time of India’s partition and political integration. In order to maintain his independence, he chose not to join either Pakistan or India.
• The state’s western districts had a revolt, which was followed by an invasion by Pakistan-backed raiders from the nearby Northwest Frontier Province, forcing the ruler to reassess his position.
• Hari Singh joined India on October 26, 1947, in exchange for airlifting Indian troops to Kashmir to combat Pakistan-backed forces.
• According to the Instrument of Accession, the Indian parliament was granted responsibility for matters like defence, foreign policy, finance, and communication, while state governments were required to approve all other laws.
• Except for the region known as Pakistan occupied Kashmir in India and Azad Kashmir in Pakistan, Indian troops drove Pakistani troops out of the valley after their accession.

Jammu & Kashmir’s state assembly:

• Jammu and Kashmir’s constituent legislature met in 1951 and confirmed the state’s accession to India while also drafting the state constitution.
• “The state is and shall be an integral part of the Union of India,” according to Jammu and Kashmir’s constitution.

About Kashmir and the UN:

• Mountbatten recommended that the Indian government bring the Kashmir issue to the UN. India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire as a result of the UN’s intervention in Kashmir.
• The Line of Control is the name given to the cease-fire line established in (LOC).
• A UN Military Observer Group continues to document ceasefire violations between Pakistan and India.
• After Pakistan withdrew its forces from Kashmir, which is under their authority, the UN also adopted a resolution calling for a referendum to be held under UN supervision. However, the poll has not yet taken place due to Pakistan’s refusal to withdraw its troops from POK.
• Since Kashmir was annexed by India, the animosity between the two nations has persisted, and this friction has led to instability and underdevelopment in the region.

Kashmir as a theatre of a war via proxy:

• Pakistan has always attempted to undermine the stability of the Jammu and Kashmir area through military conflict. Whether it was the wars of 1947, 1965, or 1971, Pakistan had incurred significant losses. India played a significant role in the partition of Eastern Pakistan during the 1971 war, humiliating Pakistan.
• After all of these military clashes, Pakistan understood that engaging India militarily directly would not be beneficial.
• In the late 1980s, Pakistan used low-intensity warfare methods to launch a separatist and militant insurgency in Kashmir under the guise of jihad.
• Pakistan utilised the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), a disgruntled organisation of Kashmiris, as a tool for insurgency. Yasin Malik, a JKLF commander who coordinated militancy in Kashmir and called for Jammu and Kashmir’s independence, eventually rejected the use of violence and supported negotiations as a means of resolving the conflict.
• However, with the assistance of Pakistan’s ISI, infiltration across the border resulted in the formation of new terrorist groups in the valley, including Hizbul Mujahedeen, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Harkart-ul-Jehad-e-Islami (Huji), etc.
• The establishment of these terrorist groups in the valley led to ethnic cleansing, which drove many Kashmiri Pandits out of the valley and caused a change in the valley’s population.
• India now faces a serious external security danger from Pakistan’s direct or covert support for and training of terrorist groups in the Jammu and Kashmir area.
• Along with Pakistan’s involvement, the Indian government fell short of meeting the needs of the local populace. Lack of progress, the militarization of the area, and the disputed state election of 1987 all contributed to the militancy in the valley, which led to some state legislators forming armed insurgent groups.
• Therefore, both of these factors—i.e (internal and external). Due to a lack of development, education, and career opportunities, terrorist organisations can easily prey on Kashmiri youth. The youth demonstrations against Afzal Guru’s death and the gathering in support of terrorist Burhan Wani demonstrate the extent of the radicalization in the Kashmir region.

The ISI’s use of irregular warfare in Kashmir:

• Tribal warfare, tiny wars, and low intensity combat are all examples of irregular warfare. This was done to hurt people’s minds.
• Low intensity war can shape outcomes that cannot be obtained by direct conflict.
• The low intensity battle front in Kashmir is evidently manifested in armed uprising, guerrilla warfare, political upheaval, and war for independence that turned into irregular warfare tactics.

In Jammu and Kashmir, a proxy war is being waged:

• Propaganda and other nefarious tactics to brainwash valley residents and undermine their trust in India.
• Terrorists from across the border infiltrate and interfere with the valley’s ongoing development projects.
• terrorists are being trained and recruited via information technology.
• internationalise the Kashmir dispute at organisations like the UN and portray India as being prejudiced against one particular religion.
• using locals to provide intelligence Locals are now terrorist organisations’ eyes and ears. They give these groups privileged access to information about military sites, bases, and even refuge.
• As Pakistan’s influence in international forums declines, India has improved relations with other nations like the USA, France, Israel, Germany, Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan has redirected its terrorist assaults on Indian military bases in order to avoid collective retaliation from these nations. Recent attacks in Pathankot, Uri, or on military convoys provide evidence of this. Attacks on military bases to undermine the security system have evolved into a new Pakistani strategy to kill India with a thousand cuts as the country’s security readiness has improved over the past few years.

The issue of human rights in Kashmir:

• Various foreign organisations, including Human Right Watch and Amnesty International, frequently accuse the Indian armed forces of violating human rights in the valley.

Human rights violations include:

• Extrajudicial killings
• Disappearance
• Torture
• lack of speech and expression freedom.
• In violation of the National Security Act, detention
• Pellet guns are used carelessly.
• Illegal use of AFSPA powers.

Kashmir’s Terrorism’s Scope:

• the violence in the valley following Burhan Muzaffar Wani’s engagement with Hizbul Mujahideen.
• 20,000 mourners attended his burial procession.
• A violent demonstration began in the valley.
• The leaders of the separatist movement urged Kashmir to be shut down.
• The mob attacked the security guards and police officers stationed there.
• Burhan Wani was described as a “martyr” by Pakistan’s then-prime minister.
• All of these demonstrate how deeply rooted terrorism is in Kashmir. The central government was obliged to reconsider its Kashmir approach as a result of the glorification of terrorism and such a high level of support.
• Pakistan’s main strategies include inciting the public, disparaging Indian security personnel, and globalising the Kashmir conflict.

Change in Approach Against Kashmiri Militancy:

• The government began Campaign All-out, an anti-militancy operation, to restore peace in the valley. The security forces were informed of the details and whereabouts of the shortlisted terrorists so they could be chased out of Kashmir.
• Following the attack on February 14, 2019, in which the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror organisation used a suicide bomber to kill over 40 CRPF soldiers.
• After learning about the terrorist camp in the Balakot region, the Indian Air Force launched a non-military preemptive attack in response to this attack. Many terrorist camps were destroyed in this attack.
• Terrorists would be discouraged by this strategy of massive counterattack.
• Other topics include the rehabilitation and resettling of Kashmiri pandits and the valley referendum.
• When Pakistan attacked India in 1947, a UN-mediated referendum was planned to take place right away. But because Pakistan never withdrew its forces from the Kashmir region, the referendum was never held.
• A referendum would not be a workable answer, at least not in the near future, given the changing demographics of Jammu and Kashmir and the radicalised young there.
• The exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the area took place thirty years ago. They are forced to live in their own nation as refugees. Only until the region reaps the benefits of growth and the security situation improves will their resettlement in the area be feasible.

Details of the human shield:

• A person was employed in 2017 as a shield from stone throwers by being fastened to the jeep’s hood. Human rights advocates from all across the world condemned this incident.
• According to the Geneva Convention, it constitutes a war crime and was called an inhuman act by Amnesty International.

Security forces can employ more humane strategies that are more equitable and balanced in justice:

Pellet gun usage:

• Police and the military frequently deploy tear gas, water cannons, pepper spray, and pellet guns as non-lethal crowd control measures.
• Pellet weapons are designed to cause personal injury. They are efficient across a short distance of 500 yards, but they can be lethal when fired at close range and can seriously injure sensitive areas.
• Pellet weapons are not acceptable to human rights campaigners, hence safer alternatives should be used.

Report of the TNSV Prasad Committee on the use of pellet guns:

• The following recommendations are crucial, made by the MHA’s committee on the usage of pellet guns:
• The most rarest of cases should call for the employment of pellet guns.
• Use non-lethal crowd control alternatives such as tear gas and chilli grenade shells instead of pellet guns.
• In response to a Supreme Court judgement, the administration asked the security forces to employ plastic bullets while taking into account more effective techniques.

Stone-pelting activity in the valley:

• It is an ISI strategy for crowd mobilisation, and the Hurriyat supports it.
• The actions taken by the NIA against the Hurriyat leader have reduced the frequency of stone-pelting events, which reached a peak in 2016–17.

Details of the AFSPA:

• The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) gives armed forces special rights, such as the ability to search and arrest people without cause.
• Additionally, the nature of this is contentious.

Various Plans and Initiatives by the Indian Government:

The government has started a number of measures to combat militancy in Kashmir by using development as a tool:

• UDAAN was founded with the intention of educating the valley’s young in skills.
• PM’s development plan for J&K focuses on improving infrastructure for transportation, health care, renewable energy, tourism, and other sectors as well as opening up new employment opportunities.
• Making institutions like AIIMS, IIT, and IIM and building tunnels will cut down on commute time.
• Prioritize creating additional rail links.
• Project Himayat: youth employment and capacity building.
• Project Sadhbhavana is an initiative by the Indian Army to assist youth in forming their dreams.
• Project Umeed: promoting female emancipation.

Current Situation of Jammu and Kashmir:

• By presidential decree, the clauses that grant the state of Jammu and Kashmir a special status were repealed. The articles 370 and 35A were repealed.
• The state of Jammu and Kashmir is now subject to the provisions of the Indian Constitution.
• dividing the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two independent union regions, Ladakh without a legislature and Jammu and Kashmir with a legislature.

Disagreement over Siachen:

• After that ceasefire line was formed, there was a military conflict between India and Pakistan near the Siachen glacier in the Karakoram Range.
• “Operation Meghdoot” was launched by India in 1984 to liberate it from Pakistani army. It is the world’s highest battleground.
• Siachen is an area that frequently makes the headlines for the deaths of military soldiers brought on by the region’s severe weather.
• In order to bring causality and correctly guard the borders, technology should be used.
• Therefore, a comprehensive programme that may fill the gap in public trust in the government is urgently needed.

Source The Indian Express

4 – Cell Therapy to treat Cancer: Prelims Specific Topic

About:

• T-cell treatment, commonly referred to as adoptive cell transfer (ACT), entails removing immune cells from the body and attaching them with receptor molecules that will enable them to fight off malignant cells once the re-engineered T-cells are reintroduced back into the body.
• They are forced to recognise the antigen (protein) present in malignant cells.
• Compared to chemotherapy and radiation therapy, this is different.
• Chemotherapy involves infusing medications into the bloodstream, primarily to stop the spread of cells from the primary damaged tissue or organ.
• Radiation therapy, on the other hand, uses X-rays to eliminate the malignant cells directly in the damaged tissue or organ.
• T-cell therapy is being hailed as ground breaking since certain recent US clinical trials utilising this therapy were fruitful.
• This medication was used to treat patients who were not expected to live more than 2-4 months.
• The results were excellent, with more than half of the patients reporting complete remission. This is a development in medical science.

However, due to a few other areas of concern, vigilance must be taken:

• T-cells can remain in a person’s body for their entire life and are similar to a living drug.
• Risky side effects of T-cell therapy include cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and an overstimulation of the body’s defence cells, which can lead to fever, hypotension, and other diseases.
• The effectiveness of this therapy on other types of cancer is yet unknown as it has only been tested on people with blood cancer thus far.
• Therefore, despite the fact that this is an excellent advancement in the battle against cancer, additional work needs to be done to guarantee its efficacy and the wellbeing of the patients.

Source The Indian Express