Pharma Firms Seek 50% Price Hike in Key Cancer Drugs Including Carboplatin, Cisplatin, Approach NPPA: Report
New Delhi: Domestic drug manufacturers have sought a 50% increase in prices of key cancer medicines such as carboplatin, cisplatin and oxaliplatin, citing a sharp surge in platinum prices that has made production financially unviable, according to a recent media report by The Economic Times.
Pharmaceutical companies have approached the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), warning that without a price revision, the supply of these critical chemotherapy drugs could be at risk. Platinum, a core raw material used in these medicines, has nearly doubled in price over the past six months, rising from around ₹3,869 per gram to about ₹8,000 per gram.
The current ceiling prices of these drugs remain tightly regulated. For instance, carboplatin is priced at about ₹61.10 per 10 mg/ml vial, while cisplatin ranges between ₹70 and ₹300 depending on strength. Industry players argue that these price caps have not kept pace with input cost inflation, making manufacturing unsustainable.
Major Indian pharmaceutical companies, including Cipla, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Zydus Lifesciences, Emcure, Intas, Fresenius and Hetero, are among those producing these drugs. Industry executives have cautioned that failure to revise prices could impact both profitability and availability of these essential treatments.
Platinum-based drugs form the backbone of chemotherapy for several cancers, including head and neck, breast, and gastrointestinal cancers. Despite being among the most affordable and widely used cancer treatments, their low pricing has created a paradox—while they remain accessible, manufacturers face limited incentives to continue production due to rising costs.
These medicines have been under price control since 2013, and price increases have remained modest. For example, carboplatin prices have risen only about 21.7% since 2015, translating into a low annual growth rate, far below the recent spike in raw material costs.
The Economic Times reports that the market for platinum-based cancer drugs in India is estimated at around ₹110 crore and is growing at about 14% annually, although actual usage may be significantly higher due to institutional and hospital-based sales.
Industry stakeholders have urged government intervention, noting that a similar one-time price increase for essential medicines facing viability issues had previously been recommended by a NITI Aayog committee.
