Will I get the treatment I need?

By Musa Mayer

From Advocacy News & Views

For two years now, we've been watching with increasing alarm the spread of shortages in drugs used to treat cancer. These shortages aren't limited to rarely used drugs, but now include a number of off-patent injectable chemotherapy agents common in breast and ovarian cancer treatment, as well as some drugs used for supportive care, like ondansetron (Zofran) and injectable morphine. Among the chemotherapy agents in short supply are doxorubicin (Adriamycin) and its close cousin doxorubicin liposomal (Doxil), the latter often preferred because of lower heart toxicity. Even the supply of paclitaxel (Taxol) is in now severely limited. It is somewhat reassuring that in most cases, but not all, alternative treatments can be found. 

Many factors underlie the reasons for these shortages, from manufacturing delays and quality concerns, to unanticipated increased demand and supply issues, and to larger economic forces such as the lack of profitability of competitively priced generic drugs. 

A current listing of drugs that are currently unavailable, as well as shortage issues now resolved, is maintained at this dedicated FDA website. There you will find, as well, some explanations of why the shortage is occurring, and how the FDA is addressing the issue with drug manufacturers. The White House has taken some action, particularly around the issue of stockpiling and price gouging that have sometimes accompanied these shortages. 

An informative article, "Drug Scarcity's Dire Cost, and Some Ways to Cope," was recently published in The New York Times.

Posted January 9, 2012.