Cancer Chemotherapy Drugs To Cost More As Centre Approves Price Hike Amid Nationwide Shortage
Cancer Chemotherapy Drugs To Cost More As Centre Approves Price Hike Amid Nationwide Shortage Reported By, Last Updated: June 10, 2026, 11:43 IST Government has
Cancer Chemotherapy Drugs To Cost More As Centre Approves Price Hike Amid Nationwide Shortage Reported By, Last Updated: June 10, 2026, 11:43 IST Government has been considering requests for price revision of 82 formulations that were examined by the inter-ministerial committee. Price revision has been approved for 4 drugs. Rapid Read The shortage has prompted immediate mitigation strategies at leading oncology centres, including closer inventory tracking, inter-hospital collaboration, curative-case prioritisation, and dose optimisation protocols. Representational image The central government has formally green-lit price increases for cisplatin and carboplatin – the two backbone chemotherapy drugs now in short supply across the country. The decision, seen by News18, marks the first official acknowledgment at the highest level that the shortage is real and demands emergency action. Last week, News18 reported about the shortage of first line cancer chemotherapy drugs across India. “In principle approval of the Hon’ble Minister (Chemicals & Fertilizers) is granted for utilizing para 19 of DPCO, 2013 in respect of aforesaid formulations," said the letter written by Department of Pharmaceuticals to Member Secretary, Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA) on June 7, accessed by News18. In simple terms, Para 19 is an exceptional power that can be invoked when the government believes intervention is necessary to ensure affordability or availability of medicines. It allows action beyond the normal price-control mechanism. NPPA is the country’s price watchdog which works under the department of pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. What the government documents actually say The approval came after a government committee examined 82 formulations seeking higher prices.
Only four drugs made the cut as urgent enough. Cisplatin and carboplatin – chemotherapy drugs – were among them. Another letter written by NPPA to the economic adviser, Department of Pharmaceuticals on 4 June, seen by News18, mentions that the department has received many requests for price upgradation. “…applications received by NPPA from various pharmaceutical companies secking upward revision of prices… for certain scheduled formulations. The applicants have cited factors such as substantial increase in Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) prices, escalation in production costs, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, and other related factors adversely affecting the economic viability of manufacturing and marketing of these formulations on a sustainable basis." It further explains that “applications pertaining to 82 formulations were examined by the Inter-Ministerial Committee IMC)… After detailed examination the IMC recommended consideration of price revision in respect of four formulations, one of carboplatin Injection, one of cisplatin injection, and two of anti-tetanus immunoglobulin injection, in view of the significant increase in API costs and concerns regarding their continued availability." The committee’s reasoning is striking. It noted: “The Committee also noted the concerns expressed by Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital regarding shortages of Carboplatin and Cisplatin injections, which are widely used as first-line chemotherapy drugs for the treatment of various cancers." It added, “Ensuring uninterrupted availability of these critical medicines is essential from a public health perspective. In respect of the remaining 78 formulations, the IMC has sought additional information for further examination." Here, NPPA sought permission from DoP for approving price hikes.
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