WASHINGTON — The White House says it’s working to end shortages of three key generic chemotherapies. But experts said the administration would have to provide more details to fully mitigate the health care system’s concerns.
Carboplatin, cisplatin, and methotrexate are three of 15 cancer drugs in shortage in the United States. They have been staples of cancer treatment for decades, according to a White House blog post, but their supply in the United States has been nearly halved in the past year. The shortages have forced doctors to ration the drugs and alter treatment plans, leaving cancer patients to wonder whether their survival odds are hurt.
In its blog post, the White House noted that it’s now allowing Chinese imports of cisplatin. The Food and Drug Administration is also working with generic drug companies to boost production of all three drugs, but it didn’t say which companies.
About the Author Reprints
Exciting news! STAT has moved its comment section to our subscriber-only app, STAT+ Connect. Subscribe to STAT+ today to join the conversation or join us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Threads. Let's stay connected!
To submit a correction request, please visit our Contact Us page.