Isabella McDonald, a bone cancer patient, stayed glued to her drug distributor website, anxiously awaiting any new updates. The college junior was disappointed by what she saw. Carboplatin and cisplatin, two of the most affordable cancer treatments, had not been restocked. Her medicine dosage would remain at 80%.
From California to Virginia, doctors and patients everywhere are facing a serious problem. Shortages of carboplatin and cisplatin have led to the development of untested rationing plans of these drugs for “breast, cervical, bladder, ovarian, lung, testicular and other cancers” (Allen). These plans will likely lead to deaths that could have been prevented.
The production of these lifesaving generic drugs has slowed. Little profit is made from manufacturing them, and domestic manufacturers look mainly to profits. This problem isn’t new but is aggravating for many, especially those who have lost close family members to the rampaging disease.
Dr. Stephen Divers, an oncologist who has recently had to set back cancer treatments due to the lack of carboplatin and cisplatin, says, “It’s just a travesty that this is the level of health care in the United States of America right now.”
A survey released this month by an academic cancer center saw that 93% of hospitals couldn’t find carboplatin, and 70% lacked cisplatin.
Robert W. Carlson, an MD Executive Officer at NCCN, said, “This is an unacceptable situation. We are hearing from oncologists and pharmacists across the country who have to scramble to find appropriate alternatives for treating their patients with cancer right now. We were relieved by survey results that show patients are still able to get life-saving care, but it comes at a burden to our overtaxed medical facilities. We need to work together to improve the current situation and prevent it from happening again in the future.”
From California to Virginia, doctors and patients everywhere are facing a serious problem. Shortages of carboplatin and cisplatin have led to the development of untested rationing plans of these drugs for “breast, cervical, bladder, ovarian, lung, testicular and other cancers” (Allen). These plans will likely lead to deaths that could have been prevented.
The production of these lifesaving generic drugs has slowed. Little profit is made from manufacturing them, and domestic manufacturers look mainly to profits. This problem isn’t new but is aggravating for many, especially those who have lost close family members to the rampaging disease.
Dr. Stephen Divers, an oncologist who has recently had to set back cancer treatments due to the lack of carboplatin and cisplatin, says, “It’s just a travesty that this is the level of health care in the United States of America right now.”
A survey released this month by an academic cancer center saw that 93% of hospitals couldn’t find carboplatin, and 70% lacked cisplatin.
Robert W. Carlson, an MD Executive Officer at NCCN, said, “This is an unacceptable situation. We are hearing from oncologists and pharmacists across the country who have to scramble to find appropriate alternatives for treating their patients with cancer right now. We were relieved by survey results that show patients are still able to get life-saving care, but it comes at a burden to our overtaxed medical facilities. We need to work together to improve the current situation and prevent it from happening again in the future.”