India facing cisplatin and carboplatin shortages amid rising platinum prices
India is running low on two crucial cancer medicines, cisplatin and carboplatin, which are needed to treat cancers like ovarian, lung, and head and neck.
The shortage comes from rising platinum prices worldwide, shipping delays from West Asia, and strict price caps that make local production tough.
Some government hospitals have managed to keep their stocks up, but many private hospitals are struggling to get enough.
Hyderabad hospitals using less effective treatments
With supplies so tight, places like the Mehdi Nawaz Jung Institute of Oncology and Regional Cancer Centre in Hyderabad require thousands of vials each month but are currently able to procure only a few hundred vials.
Doctors warn that these shortages force them to use less effective treatments, which could impact recovery for patients.
With more than 1.5 million new cancer cases in India every year, experts say the country needs better supply chains and drug reserves so people can get the medicines they need when it matters most.