Fri Jun 27 03:00:00 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

A major investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, published by The Hindu, reveals that several common chemotherapy drugs (cisplatin, oxaliplatin, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, methotrexate, and leucovorin) shipped to over 100 countries have failed quality control tests. The article explains how these drugs work to combat cancer by disrupting cancer cell growth and replication. It also details their specific uses in treating various cancers and the common side effects associated with each drug, including damage to the bone marrow, kidney damage, heart damage, and increased risk of infection.

**News Article:**

**Faulty Cancer Drugs Shipped Worldwide, Investigation Reveals**

**New Delhi, June 27, 2025** – A bombshell investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, published in The Hindu today, has uncovered a concerning trend: crucial cancer drugs shipped to over 100 countries have failed quality control tests. The investigation raises serious questions about the efficacy and safety of these vital treatments.

The drugs in question are commonly used chemotherapy treatments, including cisplatin, oxaliplatin, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin (“the red devil”), methotrexate, and leucovorin. These drugs, designed to disrupt the uncontrolled cell growth characteristic of cancer, are essential for millions of patients worldwide.

According to the report, while each drug functions differently, they all aim to target and kill cancer cells while minimizing harm to healthy cells. The investigation explains how each drug works, highlighting their usage in treating cancers such as testicular, ovarian, bladder, lung, colorectal, breast cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, and sarcoma.

However, the article also details the significant side effects associated with these drugs. These include bone marrow suppression (leading to increased risk of infection), kidney damage, heart damage, and other debilitating conditions.

“The implications of these findings are far-reaching,” said a health official familiar with the investigation. “We need to understand the extent of the quality control failures and take immediate steps to ensure that patients receive safe and effective cancer treatments.”

The investigation calls for greater transparency and accountability in the production and distribution of chemotherapy drugs globally. The Hindu will continue to report on this developing story as more information becomes available.

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