Join the evolving call for collective action to ensure patients have access to the critical medicines they need.

Today, the American Cancer Society, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and the United States Pharmacopeial Convention issue a call for collective action for the public health community to come together to eliminate cancer drug shortages in the United States.

Patient access to cancer drugs can mean the difference between life and death. Shortages of critical drugs continue to plague our health care system and threaten patient access to lifesaving and life-sustaining therapies. Oncology in particular, is suffering one of the worst shortages of treatments in recent memory. As of late June 2023, there were 14 oncology drugs, including 10 drugs used to treat pediatric cancers, on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug shortage list. A recent survey to better understand the impacts of drug shortages on kids with cancer found that nearly 53% of pediatric patients were affected by a shortage during the course of their treatment and over 80% of pediatric cancer providers indicated that their institution was experiencing shortages.[2]

Many oncology drugs that are in shortage serve as the backbone for treatment regimens that have high cure rates. Omitting or reducing the use of these drugs will reduce survival of those needing the drugs, leading to early and unnecessary deaths, and taking us backwards in the fight against cancer.

Shortages are systemic and have long-lasting impacts on patients, health systems, and future innovation. Drug shortages are regularly forcing health care providers into difficult ethical decisions, deciding which cancer patients receive medications and which do not. Unfortunately, giving lower doses, fewer doses, or no drug at all to stretch a short supply among many patients is the only option when there are no other reasonable second- or third-line drug alternatives to a drug in shortage. In addition to delayed treatment, shortages of cancer drugs also slow clinical trials of new treatments when those trials rely on the drugs in short supply as the standard of care, sometimes leading to institutions shutting down the trials altogether.

The time for change is now. Unfortunately, the problem of new and persistent drug shortages is not unique to cancer medicines – shortages occur with many classes of drugs and the impact on patients of all ages has been significant, causing treatment delays, the use of less effective treatments, or missed doses of therapies, often with unfavorable outcomes. It is essential to take action to mitigate and prevent drug shortages. Actions should include risk mitigation strategies, public and private investment and partnerships, coordination and accountability, and policy reforms – with a goal to ensure patients have access to the therapies they need.

The American Cancer Society, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and the United States Pharmacopeial Convention are convening stakeholders to develop impactful recommendations to take further action to identify and respond to the risks and vulnerabilities we are experiencing in the medicines supply chain and reduce the disruptions in the supply of these necessary medicines.

Please lend your organization’s voice and expertise to this evolving call for collective action to ensure patients have access to the critical medicines they need.

For more information, contact Amy Sonderman, Director, Advocacy & Stakeholder Engagement at USP.