Checked and confirmed! Medicine mix-up didn't affect patients, relief for RCC

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Concerns were raised on Wednesday over a medicine mix-up in Thiruvananthapuram Regional Cancer Centre. Much to the relief, it was found that no patients were administered the medicines that got mixed up in the packaging error. RCC officials confirmed this after investigating. It was earlier doubted that the medicines were given to more than 2,000 people.

Meanwhile, the drug seized by the Drugs Control Department was produced before the Thiruvananthapuram Add. Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court. Etoposide for lung cancer was delivered in a box meant to keep Temozolomide for brain cancer.

Global Pharma in Gujarat had put 50 tablets of Etoposide in a pack of 100 tablets of Temozolomide. When the boxes were opened in the pharmacy store, the employees realised the error and informed the authorities. The information was then passed on to the Drugs Control Department. After preparing an investigation report that took 50 days, they took custody of the medicine on the 6th of this month.

• March 25, 2025: 92 packets of Temozolomide arrived at RCC store

• June 27: New ones delivered to the pharmacy as the old stock exhausted

• July 12: The first set of the batch was checked before distribution

• Etoposide-50 was found in two packets of a set of 10 packets

• When all the packets were opened, more mix-ups were found, and the entire lot was put aside

• July 30: Decision to purchase the medicine from the company that came second in the tender

• Recommendation to blacklist the Gujarat company

• August 16: RCC Pharmacy Head sent an email to the Drugs Controller

• October 6: The entire medicine was seized by the Drugs Control Department