New Delhi: Cancer patients across India are scrambling to procure two life-saving chemotherapy drugs as a shortage of Cisplatin and Carboplatin begins to disrupt treatment schedules. Doctors at AIIMS Delhi, private hospitals and cancer centres across the country warn that prolonged shortages could affect outcomes for patients undergoing curative treatment.
Hospitals are reporting dwindling stocks, while patients and their families are being forced to hunt for pharmacies and distributors which have the drugs with them.
“The situation is pretty serious. We have barely one or two days’ supply left at the hospital. Patients are frantically searching and trying to arrange the drugs themselves,” said Dr Shyam Aggarwal, chairman, Medical Oncology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
The medicines are used in treatment of several common cancers, including those of the lung, ovary, cervix, breast, oral cavity, oesophagus, testes and gallbladder.
Dr Sachin Khurana, medical oncologist at AIIMS, warned of an impending crisis if supplies do not improve.
Dr M D Ray, surgical oncologist at AIIMS Delhi, said, “the absence of the drugs can disrupt treatment plans and may ultimately affect survival and recurrence rates. Prolonged shortages can force treatment delays, particularly in patients being treated with curative intent,” he said.
Doctors say the concern is particularly serious because there are limited alternatives. Dr Mandeep Singh Malhotra, director, Surgical Oncology, CK Birla Hospital, said there are no true substitutes for the drugs in many treatment regimens.
Dr Ishaan Allahabadi, senior consultant, Surgical Oncology, Paras Health, Panchkula, said, “these drugs are irreplaceable in several platinum-based chemotherapy and chemoradiation protocols, and delays can compromise outcomes, particularly for patients from rural areas”.
Dr Shekar Patil, senior consultant medical oncologist at HCG and Sparsh Hospital, Bengaluru, said supplies of the two drugs have been difficult to procure for the past two to three months.
Industry representatives attribute the shortage to rising input costs for the platinum-based drugs. Tarun Garg, business head of South Delhi Pharma, said problem has persisted for around 40 days, with some manufacturers reducing or halting production as price-controlled rates no longer cover costs.
“The cost of imported inputs has increased several-fold. Companies have sought a price revision, but the matter remains under consideration,” Garg said, alleging that some manufacturers continue to export the medicines even as domestic supplies remain constrained.
Given the situation, calls are getting louder for authorities to ensure uninterrupted availability of the essential cancer medicines.
