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Thiruvananthapuram: In an extremely unusual and shocking of medicine mix-up, chemotherapy tablets meant for brain cancer treatment were mistakenly supplied to lung cancer patients at the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) raising concerns among patients and doctors.

The discrepancy was noticed by RCC staff, prompting an internal probe and notification to authorities. Examination by the State Drugs Controller confirmed the error. A case has been registered against Globela Pharma under provisions related to the sale of spurious medicines. Remaining stock has been seized, and detailed reports have been submitted to the court. RCC reportedly purchased the tablets at ₹7,500 for eight tablets.

RCC Director Dr R Rajaneesh Kumar said an immediate inquiry was launched after staff reported the discrepancy. “Globela Pharma has been blacklisted. It is now up to the Drugs Controller to take further action against the company,” he added

The error has been traced to a packaging lapse by Globela Pharma, a Gujarat-based manufacturer. Authorities said the mistake came to light after 2,125 of the 2,130 bottles had already reached patients, and investigations are ongoing to determine how many were affected.

The mix-up involved Temozolomide 100 tablets, intended for brain cancer treatment. However, the cartons contained Etoposide-50, a drug used for lung and some testicular cancers. While the outer boxes were labelled Temozolomide 100, the bottles inside were labelled Etoposide-50, with each bottle containing eight tablets—Temozolomide 100 is normally packed with five tablets per bottle.

The wrongly supplied tablets were distributed to both inpatients and outpatients from September 3, 2024, the day after the stock was procured. Experts warn that patients who consumed the wrong medication could experience side effects such as a drop in blood cell count, depending on their treatment status. Officials clarified that no health complications have been reported so far.