4 cancer drug vials allegedly go missing from Delhi Government Hospital

New Delhi: Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI), the Delhi government’s only cancer hospital, has reported that four vials of an expensive cancer drug have gone missing, prompting police to register a case.

Hospital sources have also raised concerns over the suspected disappearance of several units of Sofosbuvir, an antiviral medicine, although it was not mentioned in the police complaint.  

Following a complaint filed by hospital authorities, an FIR was registered at the GTB Enclave police station on Monday. Police sources estimated that a vial of the missing cancer drug could cost around Rs 4 lakh. However, a senior health official put its price at approximately Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000 per vial, reports the Daily.

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According to the complaint filed by Dr Pankaj Tyagi, associate professor and pharmacy in-charge at DSCI, four vials of Nimotuzumab injection, each containing 50 mg, allegedly went missing from a refrigerator in the hospital's chemotherapy daycare department.

The complaint stated that the vials had been stored in the refrigerator on October 3 after a chemotherapy procedure was completed. When staff checked the refrigerator on October 5, the vials were reportedly missing. The complaint was submitted to the police on October 9.

Nimotuzumab is a monoclonal antibody used in targeted cancer treatment, including the treatment of certain head and neck cancers.

The reported value of the missing medicine has emerged as a key aspect of the case. Police sources estimated that a single vial could cost around Rs 4 lakh. However, a senior health official put the price at approximately Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000 per vial.

Investigators are yet to establish the actual procurement cost of the missing stock and determine how the vials disappeared from the hospital's premises.

Sources said the alleged disappearance of Sofosbuvir, used to treat hepatitis C, was also being flagged within the hospital. A strip of 28 tablets of the 400mg formulation can cost between Rs 10,000 and Rs 13,000 in the market. Hospital staff said this was not the first complaint involving suspected medicine theft at the facility, reports TOI.

The alleged disappearance comes amid a broader Delhi Police investigation into the illegal trade of cancer medicines.

In August, the crime branch arrested 17 people for their alleged involvement in a multi-state racket dealing in stolen and counterfeit cancer drugs. Police said medicines worth approximately Rs 9 crore were seized, including 588 vials of critical cancer injections and 3,021 units of other medicines. Cash amounting to Rs 50 lakh was also recovered.

According to investigators, the alleged network operated across Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Rajasthan, Hyderabad, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Previous investigations have indicated that such rackets allegedly sourced medicines through multiple channels, including the diversion of genuine drugs from hospitals and government healthcare warehouses. Some medicines were reportedly repackaged after batch numbers and maximum retail price details were removed to conceal their origin.

In another development reported on October 4, investigators said nearly 100 cancer patients had been traced as having received medicines allegedly intended for other recipients.

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