Fake cancer drug sold to patients in Delhi, investigation reveals racket

Staff at leading hospitals in Delhi and Gurgaon were involved in a racket that refilled empty vials of the cancer drug Keytruda with fake substances and sold them to patients, according to an investigation by The Indian Express.

Keytruda, whose generic name is Pembrolizumab, is used to treat cancers including Melanoma, Lung Cancer, and Hodgkin Lymphoma. A single vial can cost between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 2 lakh in India, making it unaffordable for many and attractive to counterfeiters.

The report, based on more than 12,500 pages of police and hospital records, said eight patients were identified as having received fake injections. One of them later died. According to a Delhi Police chargesheet filed at Tis Hazari Court, the accused worked in oncology departments and pharmacies of major hospitals, including Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Millennium Cancer Center, and Venkateshwar Hospital.

Police allege that empty vials were purchased for Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000, refilled with counterfeit substances, and resold for Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 through pharmacies and platforms such as IndiaMART. More than 140 vials worth about Rs 4 crore were seized.

Victims include a patient from Uzbekistan who paid Rs 5.92 lakh for six injections and a patient from Jammu and Kashmir who paid Rs 1.8 lakh for two doses.

The case reflects a global issue. A probe by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists found that counterfeit Keytruda has also entered hospital supply chains. A study by oncologists at Tata Memorial Centre noted that a six-month course of Keytruda costs nearly eight years of an average Indian’s income.