By Shalini Bhardwaj

New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): The shortage of platinum-based cancer drugs like Cisplatin and Carboplatin is a threat to cancer care treatment, the top Experts from AIIMS Delhi stated, as these drugs play a crucial role in the treatment of cancer like head and neck, lung, ovarian, bladder, and gastrointestinal cancers.

'As a surgical oncologist at AIIMS Delhi, I view the reported shortage of cisplatin and carboplatin as a critical threat to cancer care. These platinum-based agents are backbone drugs in treating common malignancies--head and neck, lung, ovarian, bladder, and gastrointestinal cancers. In my practice, I frequently integrate them with surgery as HIPEC and in multimodal protocols; their absence compromises neoadjuvant and adjuvant strategies, directly impacting survival and recurrence rates,' a top expert said.

He further said that disruptions of these drugs can worsen the treatment, 'Prolonged disruptions force clinicians to substitute with less effective regimens or delay treatment, both of which worsen outcomes. For operable disease, neoadjuvant chemotherapy may be withheld, converting potentially curable cases into unresectable ones. In palliative settings, symptom control and quality of life deteriorate without adequate systemic therapy.'

The top expert further called for immediate intervention to expedite the domestic production of Cisplatin and Carboplatin.

'We need immediate intervention: expediting domestic production, strategic stockpiling by national programs, and transparent supply-chain oversight. Till then, patient counselling must be honest about risks, and multidisciplinary teams must prioritise the most vulnerable cases. This crisis reminds us that surgical oncology cannot succeed without reliable access to essential chemotherapy.' He said regarding prioritising these drugs for vulnerable cases

The drugs Cisplatin and carboplatin are linked to the shortage Beauregard of limited availability of platinum-based raw material.

Speaking about the shortage, Rajiv Singhal, General Secretary, All India Organisation of Chemists & Druggists (AIOCD) said, 'The current shortage of Cisplatin, Carboplatin and certain other oncology medicines is primarily linked to the limited availability of platinum-based raw materials globally over the past few months. Industry sources have indicated that this is a supply-chain challenge and not a pricing issue. Manufacturers are making every effort to secure adequate raw materials and restore normal supplies. Considering the critical importance of these medicines for cancer treatment, we urge the Government of India to facilitate the availability of essential raw materials so that patients do not face any disruption in therapy.'

Additionally, Dr Mansi Khanderia, Senior Consultant -Medical Oncology, SPARSH Hospitals, Bengaluru, expressed concern that the shortage can directly impact timelines of treatments, outcomes and confidence of patients.

'Shortage of some essential chemotherapy drugs like cisplatin and carboplatin is a very serious concern since these medicines form the foundation of treatment for several kinds of cancers, including lungs, ovarian, bladder, head and neck and testicular cancers as well. Any delay or disruption in their availability can directly impact the timelines of treatments, outcomes and confidence of patients. Cancer-related care is very time sensitive, and patients should not have to face uncertainty around access to life-saving medicines. There is also an urgent need for stronger supply chain planning, a transparent level of monitoring, and well-coordinated access to ensure uninterrupted availability of critical cancer drugs for every kind of patient who needs them,' she said.

Dr Niti Raizada, Principal Director - Medical Oncology & Hemato-Oncology, Fortis Hospitals, Bengaluru, said, 'Cisplatin and Carboplatin are among the most important and widely used chemotherapy drugs in oncology. They form the backbone of treatment for several common cancers, such as lung, head and neck, cervical, ovarian, bladder, and testicular cancers. In many situations these medicines are used with a cure-driven intent , so they play a crucial role in improving survival and overall treatment outcomes. The patients who would feel any shortage the most are typically those already undergoing active chemotherapy, especially people with newly diagnosed cancers, patients receiving simultaneous chemoradiation, and those whose treatment protocols specifically ask for platinum-based drugs. When limited availability happens, it can seriously slow timely cancer care and disrupt treatment planning.'

'Yes, shortages of these drugs can disrupt treatment schedules. In some situations, chemotherapy cycles may need to be delayed until the medication becomes available, while in others, oncologists may have to consider alternative treatment regimens based on the patient's condition and cancer type. However, alternatives may not always offer the same level of evidence or suitability as the standard platinum-based protocol. Such disruptions can create significant anxiety for patients and clinicians alike, particularly when treatment is being given with curative intent, where maintaining the planned schedule is extremely important for achieving the best possible outcomes.' She added

According to Dr. Shayam Aggarwal, Chairperson, Medical Oncology, Sir Gangaram Hospital, the shortage is across the country

'In the entire country, we are facing a shortage of two extremely potent and commonly used anti-cancer drugs, the names being cis-platinum and carboplatinum. There is an acute shortage of these drugs we are facing for the last two to three weeks and now in the pharmacy of our hospital and our you know sister hospital we don't have the availability of cis-platinum and carboplatinum. So these two drugs are extremely potent and they are used in first-line therapy for a variety of cancers which are common in India, like lung cancer, oral cancer, cervix cancer, uterine cancer, ovary cancer, testicular cancer and so on.'

He further said that doctors have discussed the shortage of medicines with pharmaceutical companies,'So nearly 60-70% of patients who have advanced cancer they do require cis-platinum or carboplatinum. So since we've been facing this difficulty for the last two three weeks we started to discuss this matter with the pharmaceutical companies as to why it is short and the explanation being given by the companies is that these two drugs come under DPCO where the government has fixed an MRP and so the problem which has happened possibly due to the Gulf War that the API that is the you know active ingredient is imported from South Africa and Russia and other countries so because of the shortage of that product the price has gone up of the API and unfortunately as a result of that the cost of manufacturing cis-platinum and carboplatinum has increased but then that doesn't match the MRP fixed by the government of India because of the DPCO product. So we are facing and patients are suffering because of the lack of availability of these two drugs, so patients are asked to procure their own drug from whatever source, maybe from other companies or from other pharmacies where there's some stock, you know, pending has not been used because most of the companies have stopped manufacturing cis-platinum and carboplatinum.'

'So I think it's an extremely important issue because these two drugs are life-saving and very, very commonly used in most of the common cancers worldwide. So I appealed to the government of India to look into the matter, and you know, request the pharma companies to start manufacturing the cis-platinum and carboplatinum so that the patients do not suffer,' he said. (ANI)