Hospitals in India face shortage of two affordable chemotherapy drugs
A nationwide shortage of cisplatin and carboplatin is disrupting cancer treatment at hospitals across India. Doctors say prolonged disruption could alter therapy schedules and affect patient outcomes.
Cancer patients across India are facing treatment disruptions due to a nationwide shortage of two commonly used chemotherapy drugs, cisplatin and carboplatin.
The drugs are widely used to treat several cancers, including lung, cervical, ovarian, head and neck cancers. Hospitals in different parts of the country, including major government and private centres, have reported difficulties in securing supplies, forcing some doctors to delay or modify treatment plans.
Doctors said that the shortage could affect patient outcomes if it continues for an extended period.
Platinum-based chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin and carboplatin are considered essential medicines in cancer care and form the backbone of treatment aimed at curing the disease.
The supply crunch has been linked to shortages of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), rising manufacturing costs and disruptions in global supply chains.
Industry representatives have pointed to geopolitical tensions in West Asia and a sharp rise in platinum prices, a key component used in these medicines, as major reasons behind the crisis.
Some hospitals had initially managed the situation using existing stocks, but supplies have steadily dwindled over the past few weeks.
Patients and their families have reportedly been searching multiple pharmacies and hospitals to find the medicines.
The shortage is particularly concerning because there are limited alternatives to these drugs for many cancer patients. In some cases, doctors have had to adjust chemotherapy schedules or change treatment regimens based on available supplies.
"The absence of drugs can disrupt treatment plans and may ultimately affect survival and recurrent rates," Dr. MD Ray, surgical oncologist at AIIMS Delhi, told TOI.
Dr. Shyam Garg, chairman, Medical Oncology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said, "The situation is pretty serious. We have barely one or two days' supply left at the hospital."
Drug manufacturers have also raised concerns about the rising cost of production.
Earlier this year, industry groups sought a price increase for several platinum-based cancer medicines, arguing that soaring raw material costs had made manufacturing financially difficult.
Cancer patients across India are facing treatment disruptions due to a nationwide shortage of two commonly used chemotherapy drugs, cisplatin and carboplatin.
The drugs are widely used to treat several cancers, including lung, cervical, ovarian, head and neck cancers. Hospitals in different parts of the country, including major government and private centres, have reported difficulties in securing supplies, forcing some doctors to delay or modify treatment plans.
Doctors said that the shortage could affect patient outcomes if it continues for an extended period.
Platinum-based chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin and carboplatin are considered essential medicines in cancer care and form the backbone of treatment aimed at curing the disease.
The supply crunch has been linked to shortages of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), rising manufacturing costs and disruptions in global supply chains.
Industry representatives have pointed to geopolitical tensions in West Asia and a sharp rise in platinum prices, a key component used in these medicines, as major reasons behind the crisis.
Some hospitals had initially managed the situation using existing stocks, but supplies have steadily dwindled over the past few weeks.
Patients and their families have reportedly been searching multiple pharmacies and hospitals to find the medicines.
The shortage is particularly concerning because there are limited alternatives to these drugs for many cancer patients. In some cases, doctors have had to adjust chemotherapy schedules or change treatment regimens based on available supplies.
"The absence of drugs can disrupt treatment plans and may ultimately affect survival and recurrent rates," Dr. MD Ray, surgical oncologist at AIIMS Delhi, told TOI.
Dr. Shyam Garg, chairman, Medical Oncology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said, "The situation is pretty serious. We have barely one or two days' supply left at the hospital."
Drug manufacturers have also raised concerns about the rising cost of production.
Earlier this year, industry groups sought a price increase for several platinum-based cancer medicines, arguing that soaring raw material costs had made manufacturing financially difficult.
