Green Center raises prices of cancer chemotherapy drugs as shortages continue: Report

The government has reportedly approved price hikes for selected life-saving cancer drugs amid shortages that mainly affect platinum-based chemotherapy drugs, including cisplatin and carboplatin, which are widely used to treat a variety of cancers such as lung, ovarian, cervical, head and neck, bladder and gastrointestinal cancers.

According to a News18 report, a letter written by the Ministry of Medicines to the Member Secretary, National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA) dated June 7 said, “In principle, the approval of the Hon’ble Minister (Chemicals & Fertilizers) is granted for the use of Section 19 of the DPCO, 2013 in view of the above wording.

The price revision was approved under Section 19, a special provision that allows the government to intervene outside the framework of normal price management if it deems such action necessary to ensure the availability or affordability of essential medicines.

Quick answers to key questions

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The shortage is mainly caused by the sharp rise in platinum prices, rising production costs and supply chain disruptions, especially in the import of active pharmaceutical substances.

The government has approved price increases to ensure continued availability of essential cancer drugs in severe shortage, particularly cisplatin and carboplatin.

The NPPA can invoke special provisions under Section 19 of the DPCO, 2013 to allow price increases if necessary to maintain the availability and affordability of essential medicines.

Shortages can cause significant treatment delays, affecting one in five cancer patients, and force doctors to ration doses or switch to less effective treatment alternatives.

Manufacturers are working with the NPPA to revise prices, seek to streamline import permit processes and consider measures such as building buffer stocks to mitigate future shortages.

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), which functions under the Ministry of Drugs in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, gave the nod after a government committee reviewed 82 pharmaceutical forms that sought higher prices, the report said. Only four of them were considered urgent enough to raise the price.

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According to a June 4 NPPA communication to the Economic Adviser at the Ministry of Medicines, the department has received numerous requests for price revisions.

“…applications received by NPPA from various pharmaceutical companies seeking price revisions… for certain planned formulations. The applicants cited factors such as substantial increase in active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) prices, escalation of manufacturing costs, exchange rate fluctuations and other related factors adversely affecting the economic viability of manufacturing and marketing these formulations on a sustainable basis.”

It states that “requests for 82 products were reviewed by the IMC Interdepartmental Committee)… After detailed review, the IMC recommended that price revisions be considered for four products, one of carboplatin injection, one of cisplatin injection and two of tetanus immunoglobulin injection, in view of the significant increase in API costs and concerns about their continued availability.

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The committee reportedly took note of concerns raised by the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital regarding the shortage of carboplatin and cisplatin injections, which are commonly used as first-line treatments for several cancers. Maintaining an uninterrupted supply of these critical medicines was important for public health, she said, adding that the remaining 78 applications were still under review, with the committee seeking more information before making a decision.

NPPA has approached the Department of Medicines (DoP) for approval of the proposed price hike.

“Given the emerging shortage of carboplatin injection and cisplatin injection and the viability concerns reported for these four formulations, this matter merits consideration by the Authority… The matter was discussed in a review meeting by the Secretary, DoP on pending price increase requests and NPPA was directed to process the requests in accordance with the framework… Further, DoP advised NPPA that under any particular circumstances, NPPA must be notified by letter to the department,” warns the ministry. stated according to the report.

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On 7 June, the Department informed the regulator that the Minister had given consent in principle to the exercise of section 19 powers.

The ministry is said to have asked the price regulator to determine to what extent prices can be increased. The formula outlined: “The Standing Committee has recommended a 10% increase per year since the last fixation with a ceiling of 50% could also be a guide, but the primary principle should be to increase costs.”

The DoP further advised the NPPA to assess the increase in the cost of raw materials for the affected drugs before deciding on the extent of the price hike. It also suggested that the regulator review similar requests from pharmaceutical companies seeking price revisions due to higher input costs and apply a consistent approach in such cases.

Cancer patients face drug shortages

Kumar Ajit spent more than a week contacting numerous pharmacies across India in search of cisplatin, a platinum-based cancer drug that Reuters reports is necessary to treat his 70-year-old mother’s liver cancer.

After extensive searching, he managed to find the medicine in New Delhi and have it delivered to his village in Bihar. However, he said: “I couldn’t even get the required dose,” and expressed concern about future treatment, adding: “I’m not sure what I’m going to do for the next dose.”

The ordeal faced by the 52-year-old bank employee underscores a worsening shortage of platinum-based cancer drugs in India, with patients increasingly struggling to secure treatment as hospitals, particularly government facilities, struggle with limited supplies.

According to doctors and industry executives, India is dependent on imported platinum and supplies from major sources such as South Africa have been affected by rising prices and disruptions related to conflict in the Middle East.

Health officials and drug distributors reported that supplies of drugs such as cisplatin and carboplatin, commonly used to treat lung, ovarian and gallbladder cancer, have become increasingly scarce in recent weeks.

Pavan Kumar of Kethan Pharma Distributors in the southern technology hub of Hyderabad said, “I get about 10 calls a day from patients asking for help with cisplatin.”