India Raises Cancer Drug Price Caps to Ease Shortages

India’s drug pricing regulator has increased the ceiling prices of two critical cancer medicines, cisplatin and carboplatin, by 50% to address growing shortages across the country. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) approved the one-time revision after rising raw material costs and supply disruptions affected the availability of these essential oncology drugs used to treat cancers such as ovarian, lung, and bladder cancer.

Under the revised pricing, the ceiling rate for cisplatin has been raised from 7.26 rupees to 10.89 rupees per ml, while carboplatin’s cap has increased from 60.49 rupees to 90.74 rupees per ml, excluding taxes. The government said the move was necessary to ensure uninterrupted access to life-saving treatments, particularly in public hospitals that have been struggling with shortages.

Industry experts attribute the supply crisis to soaring platinum prices, as the metal is a key ingredient in both medicines. Reduced supplies from major platinum-producing regions, rising manufacturing costs, and global supply chain disruptions have pressured drug makers, some of whom temporarily halted production. The NPPA said the revised price caps will be reviewed after six months.

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