Considerations for Oncologists During Chemotherapy Shortages

Roby Thomas, MD, a medical oncologist, and hematologist at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, provides ideas for oncologists to consider while multiple chemotherapy drug are on shortage in the United States.

Drug shortages can greatly impact clinical trials unless the sponsor ensures availability of the drug while trials are ongoing. According to Thomas, this is key. For oncologists who cannot get the crucial drug in their clinic, enrolling their patients on clinical trials may be a temporary solution to the problem.

Thomas recently gave an in-depth opinion on this topic in a published article titled “Oncology Drug Shortages Persist, Calling for Solutions” on the Targeted Oncology™ website.

Transcript:

0:08 | I think, you know, drug shortages are going to be what they are, and hopefully, you know, we're able to kind of pivot provide the resources that we can. I think what one thing to keep in mind is, you know, outside of clinical trial recruitment, where there's a standard of care regimen where there may be a shortage, there may be trials out there that don't necessarily require a drug that's on shortage, rather, the sponsor has access, and there's going to provide the drug to the patient. So, it's always a consideration for certain patients, you know, depending on where they are in their treatment, and their journey through the cancer.

0:42 | Ask, is there potentially a phase 1 clinical trial where you don't necessarily have to worry about the shortage? It's always a conversation with your primary oncologist is conversation with whichever academic or other institution that may have its clinical trial. That's one thing I thought of and considered in certain cases for patients where, I don't have that chemotherapeutic even though that's what I typically would go for, maybe there's a trial I have available for them. And so thankfully that was the case for a handful of patients.