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The recent inquiry has revealed that some of Delhi's top cancer hospitals may have had staff participating in a scheme to steal empty vials of the cancer-fighting immunotherapy drug Keytruda, fill them with counterfeit contents, and sell them to trusting cancer patients, reports the Indian Express.

Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is one of the most commonly used immunotherapy medications in the whole world that can assist an individual's immune system to identify and obliterate cancerous cells; it is effective for treating such cancers as melanoma, lung cancer, head and neck cancer and Hodgkin's Disease. The cost of one vial of Keytruda in India currently ranges from Rs 1,50,000 to Rs 2,00,000, while its potential to save one’s life is immeasurable.

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The reports contained in this investigation are the result of a thorough review of more than twelve thousand five hundred (12,500) pages of police reports and hospital records, categorisation of more than 150 patients from Delhi who were matched with batch numbers for the individuals who were accused and/or arrested, as well as interviews with hospital employees, including oncologists.

According to the Delhi Police's crime report filed with Tis Hazari Court, eight (8) patients who received counterfeit medications have been identified; one has died as a result of receiving counterfeit medications. Reportedly, the individuals arrested and/or accused of committing these crimes were employed by various prominent hospitals in Delhi and Gurgaon.

The 4 members in this group were employed within major hospital oncology departments: 2 pharmacists worked for the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute, and the others worked for Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Millennium Cancer Centre (Gurgaon), and Venkateshwar Hospital (Delhi). 

As part of this crime syndicate, the accused purchased empty drug vials for between Rs 3,000 and Rs 6,000, filled them with imitation products, and resold them through pharmacy distribution and via online platforms such as IndiaMART. The police have seized approximately 140 counterfeit vials that are estimated to be worth Rs 4 crore. 

The victims include 2 patients: (1) a patient from Uzbekistan who paid Rs 5.92 lakh for 6 injections and (2) a patient from Jammu and Kashmir who spent Rs 1.8 lakh on 2 doses.

This situation demonstrates the intense controversy regarding counterfeit chemotherapy drugs occurring globally; the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists reported that some hospitals have unwittingly purchased counterfeit Keytruda, thus presenting serious concerns about patient safety.

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Experts note that the extremely high cost of the drug, linked partly to patent practices by its manufacturer Merck, has contributed to the growth of a global counterfeit market.

A study by oncologists at Tata Memorial Centre, accessed by India Today, found that a six-month Keytruda treatment can cost nearly eight years of an average Indian’s income.

For patients battling cancer, the consequences are devastating: they unknowingly receive fake treatment while believing they are being cured, losing both precious time and hope.


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