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India Boosts Cancer Drug Prices Amid Raw Material Crisis
22 Jun
Summary
- Drug price regulator increased ceiling rates for two key cancer drugs by 50%.
- Shortages of cisplatin and carboplatin impacted patients nationwide.
- Rising raw material costs, particularly platinum, drove the price adjustment.
India's National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has invoked special provisions to increase the ceiling rates for two vital platinum-based cancer drugs, cisplatin and carboplatin, by 50%. This adjustment, approved by the federal government on June 11, addresses a critical shortage of these essential oncology medicines across the country.
The price hike was necessitated by a significant surge in raw material costs, particularly for platinum, a key component in these drugs. Global supply disruptions and increased manufacturing expenses have led several companies to temporarily halt production, exacerbating shortages for patients battling various cancers, including ovarian, lung, and bladder cancers.
The ceiling rate for cisplatin has been raised to 10.89 rupees per ml from 7.26 rupees, and for carboplatin, it increased to 90.74 rupees per ml from 60.49 rupees (excluding taxes). The NPPA stated that this one-time revision will be reviewed after six months, emphasizing the critical need for uninterrupted availability of these life-saving treatments.
