Imported Medicines in Mumbai: Prescribed Therapies Approved Abroad

Maharashtra's cancer burden: second-highest in India

Only Uttar Pradesh has a higher estimated number of new cancer cases than Maharashtra among India's 38 states and union territories. The figures below come from the Indian Council of Medical Research's National Cancer Registry Programme:

Source: Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 931, answered on 24 July 2026 (ICMR–NCRP estimates, all cancer sites, both sexes).

What this means for families

Maharashtra's estimate rose by roughly 9.7% between 2021 and 2025, to about 357 new diagnoses every day. The state now accounts for around 8.3% of all new cancer cases in India. Most of these patients are treated with medicines already sold here. A smaller group, often people with advanced disease or a specific genetic marker, may be prescribed a newer targeted therapy that India does not have yet.

Your doctor prescribed a medicine you cannot find: what next?

Many families first hear about the problem at the pharmacy counter. Before you start searching, check three things with the treating doctor:

• the exact brand or generic name, strength and dosage form prescribed;
• whether the medicine is truly unavailable in India, or only out of stock locally;
• whether a locally available alternative would be suitable in your case.

If the doctor confirms that the prescribed medicine is needed and it is not sold here, named patient import can be considered. Our Named Patient Program page explains how such programmes work worldwide.

Other routes worth asking about

Manufacturer programmes

Some companies run early access or compassionate use programmes for particular medicines. Eligibility is set by the manufacturer, and your doctor can ask whether one exists.

Clinical trials

A trial may offer access to a newer therapy under strict protocols. Trials running in India are listed on the Clinical Trials Registry – India (CTRI).

Common misconceptions about imported medicines

"Importing a medicine for a patient is a legal grey area."

It is not, when done properly. Import for an individual patient is provided for under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, with oversight by CDSCO. Our guide to import regulations for patient-specific medicines sets out the framework.

"Anyone can order it online without a prescription."

No. A valid prescription from the treating doctor is essential, and the medicine is supplied only in the prescribed quantity for the named patient.

"An imported medicine can be shared or resold later."

It cannot. It is for the named patient only and is not for commercial distribution.

How we support patients in Mumbai

Credentials you can check

• 30+ years of named patient leadership
• 15,000+ patients served
• Access to 1.5 million+ product lines through a global pharmaceutical network
• An EU-GDP certified warehouse in Bulgaria
• A licensed wholesale distributor sourcing only from manufacturers and duly authorised distributors, in line with CDSCO requirements and Good Distribution Practice

We work with patients, caregivers, treating doctors and hospitals. More about our team is on the About Us page.

Four steps from prescription to delivery

1. Share your enquiry and prescription

Send the prescription along with a short note on the diagnosis. Our prescription guidelines list everything it should show.

Most often missing from prescriptions

• The doctor's registration number
• The strength and total quantity needed
• The planned duration of treatment

2. Document check

We go through the prescription and supporting reports and let you know straight away if anything more is required.

3. Quotation and timeline

You receive the price and the expected delivery date in writing before anything is ordered.

What goes into the price

• The medicine itself and the pack size prescribed
• International freight, with cold-chain handling where needed
• Applicable customs duty and taxes

4. Import and doorstep delivery

After you confirm, the medicine is sourced through authorised channels, imported for the named patient and delivered, usually within 7 to 15 days. A tracking number is shared after dispatch.

Delivering cold-chain medicines in a monsoon city

Mumbai's southwest monsoon, roughly June to September, brings some of the heaviest rainfall of any Indian metro, and waterlogging can slow road transport. The medicine's needs stay the same: injectable cancer therapies such as Trodelvy and Elahere must be kept at 2–8°C until use.

We ship in three temperature bands: ambient (15–25°C), refrigerated (2–8°C) and frozen (-20°C), with 24/7 temperature monitoring and WHO GDP-aligned handling. Read more about our temperature-controlled shipping.

Tips for flats and housing societies

• Tell your society security or reception that a temperature-sensitive parcel is expected, so it is not left at the gate.
• Share a second contact number in case the patient is at hospital.
• Move the medicine to the refrigerator as soon as it arrives, and keep it in its original pack.
• If the box looks damaged or wet, call us before using the medicine.

Learn about the conditions behind these medicines

• Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)
• Platinum-resistant ovarian cancer
• KRAS G12C mutation and sotorasib
• Small cell lung cancer
• Bile duct cancer and FGFR2 testing

Please note

• We do not give medical advice; every treatment decision is made by your doctor.
• If a medicine cannot be sourced, for example because the manufacturer has withdrawn it, we will tell you promptly.