A chemo shortage is headed for America. India just showed us why

This summer, cancer patients in India discovered that a chemotherapy shortage can begin far from a pharmaceutical factory, with a disruption in the supply of a metal.

Cisplatin and carboplatin are decades-old generic drugs that remain a backbone of chemotherapy for many cancers. Both depend on platinum. When platinum prices more than doubled, Indian manufacturers struggled to obtain raw materials and absorb the higher costs. Some reduced production, while one manufacturer temporarily stopped making both drugs. Because India regulates their prices, manufacturers could not simply pass the increase on to patients. The government ultimately raised its price ceilings by 50% to help restore supply.