India hikes cancer drug prices 50% as platinum costs soar

India's drug pricing regulator raised the ceiling prices of two essential cancer drugs, carboplatin and cisplatin, by 50%. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority invoked emergency powers under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order. It cited representations from manufacturers that the cost of platinum, a key input, had made production uneconomical. Without the adjustment, the makers said they risked shortages of these life-saving medicines.

Platinum prices have climbed sharply this year. Supply from South Africa, the world's largest producer, has been disrupted by recurring power cuts and mine closures. The metal is a core component of platinum-based chemotherapy drugs. Drugmakers flagged that platinum costs account for a significant share of the active-ingredient cost. Some had temporarily halted production, the NPPA noted in its order.

The 50% hike marks one of the steepest single price revisions the authority has allowed. The NPPA typically limits annual drug price increases to the wholesale price index. The special order bypasses that formula. The revision is effective from the date of the notification, the regulator said.

The authority also raised prices for anti-tetanus immunoglobulin under the same emergency powers. It did not disclose the percentage increase for that product.

Carboplatin and cisplatin are among the most widely used chemotherapy drugs in India. They are listed on the National List of Essential Medicines, which subjects them to price controls. The NPPA's special powers under paragraph 19 of the DPCO allow it to fix prices in the interest of public health. The regulator said the moves were necessary to ensure adequate supply of essential medicines.