NCCN: Cancer Centers Still Experiencing Shortages of Chemo Drugs

THURSDAY, Oct. 5, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Many cancer centers are still experiencing a shortage of carboplatin, cisplatin, and other chemotherapy drugs, according to the results of a follow-up survey conducted Sept. 6 to 20, 2023, by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN).

Noting that surveys conducted in June 2023 found that 93 percent of cancer centers were experiencing a shortage of carboplatin and 70 percent lacked a steady supply of cisplatin, the NCCN conducted follow-up surveys to assess ongoing chemotherapy shortages in September 2023. The September survey included responses for 29 NCCN Member Institutions.

The researchers found that 72 percent of the 29 centers reported they were still experiencing a shortage of carboplatin; 62 percent of centers had not received any indication about when carboplatin would be readily available. Fifty-nine percent of 29 centers reported still experiencing a shortage of cisplatin; 71 percent had not received any indication of when cisplatin would be readily available. Other drugs in short supply included methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, fludarabine, hydrocortisone, and dacarbazine (66, 55, 45, 41, and 28 percent of centers reporting shortages, respectively).

"These drug shortages are the result of decades of systemic challenges," Alyssa Schatz, M.S.W., senior director of policy and advocacy for NCCN, said in a statement. "We have to acknowledge that the cancer drug shortage has been ongoing for months, which is unacceptable for anyone impacted by cancer today. These new survey results remind us that we are still in an ongoing crisis and must respond with appropriate urgency."

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