Two common chemotherapy in short supply, doctors say: 'Totally preventable shortages'

BALTIMORE - Two common chemotherapy drugs used to treat many types of cancers are in short supply.

Maryland doctors say they are struggling to keep the drugs in stock.

The shortage is widespread. Providers say this is a shortage they have been dealing with for a decade and say something must be done because they cannot stockpile these drugs.

Doctors say it is only a matter of time before the scarcity of life-saving cancer drugs starts impacting patients.

"Treatments may be delayed," said Dr. Yoram Unguru, a pediatric oncologist at Sinai Hospital. "Treatments may be given out of sequence. In cancer, we administer medication on a very specific schedule. Think about a recipe, you start with flour you add some sugar."

Dr. Unguru is among the healthcare providers forced to confront this issue with workarounds for their patients.

"It is one of the most frustrating discussions to have," Dr. Unguru said. "These are totally preventable shortages."

The pair of chemotherapy drugs – Carboplatin and Cisplatin - used to treat a range of cancers has been of short supply

"The drugs are used on a regular basis with breast cancer, lung cancer and neck cancer, ovarian cancer," said Dr. Christopher Gallagher, Medical Director of Cancer Services Medstar.

Some healthcare facilities across the country are unable to treat patients with the intended dose.

"I used to think that the most difficult conversation I would have with a child or a parent, is that they have cancer or your cancer has relapsed and come back," Dr. Unguru said.

The shortage is caused in part by a manufacturing plant in India that shut down due to quality issues, along with a shortage of raw materials.

"The word from the pharmacy world was that, from manufacturers, it was going to be a month or two or more for the normal production of Carboplatin or Cisplatin was going to be back to normal," Dr. Gallagher said.

The Food and Drug Administration has taken more immediate steps to ease the most recent shortage by allowing a temporary import of an unapproved Chinese cancer drug which the FDA says is safe.

"These shortages are not going anywhere," Dr. Unguru said. "I'm not here to be Negative Nancy or a naysayer but unless people are vocal and speak up to their representatives, the shortages are going nowhere."