Hospital sources have also reported disappearance of several units of Sofosbuvir, an antiviral medicine, though the drug has not been mentioned in the police complaint. New Delhi: At least four vials of an expensive cancer drug have allegedly gone missing from Delhi State Cancer Institute (DSCI), Delhi govt’s only cancer hospital.
A senior health official, however, claimed, “The drug costs around Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000 each. The vials were kept in the refrigerator on Oct 3 after completing a chemotherapy procedure, according to the complaint. On Oct 5, they were found missing. The complaint was submitted on Oct 9. In Aug, the crime branch arrested 17 people for their alleged involvement in a multi-state racket dealing in stolen and counterfeit cancer drugs. Police then said medicines worth around Rs 9 crore were seized, including 588 vials of critical cancer injections and 3,021 units of other medicines, along with Rs 50 lakh in cash.
“We suspect one vial of the injection could cost around Rs 4 lakh,” police sources said. Associate professor and pharmacy in-charge at DSCI, four vials of Nimotuzumab injection, each containing 50mg, had allegedly gone missing from a refrigerator in the chemo daycare department, according to the complaint filed by Dr Pankaj Tyagi. Police registered an FIR at GTB Enclave police station Monday following a complaint from hospital authorities. But that is also not less. Investigators are yet to ascertain the procurement cost of the missing vials and establish how they went missing. It’s also not clear yet whether the alleged disappearance is connected to any organised diversion network. The case comes amid a wider investigation by Delhi Police into the alleged illegal trade of cancer medicines. The network allegedly operated across Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Rajasthan, Hyderabad, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.