The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has revealed results from a follow-up survey on the ongoing chemotherapy shortages in US cancer centres.
Both surveys focused on two platinum-base chemotherapy medications, carboplatin and cisplatin, which are recommended to treat hundreds of different cancer scenarios.
The first NCCN survey, originally published in June 2023, found that 93% of cancer centres in the US surveyed at the time were experiencing a shortage of carboplatin and 70% lacked a steady supply of cisplatin.
New results from the follow-up survey, conducted in September 2023, have now revealed that 72% of the centres surveyed continue to experience a shortage of carboplatin and 59% are still seeing a shortage of cisplatin.
Additionally, the survey revealed that 86% of US cancer centres reported experiencing a shortage of at least one type of anti-cancer drug, including methotrexate (66%), 5-flouracil (55%), fludarabine (45%) and hydrocortisone (41%).
According to the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, in 2020, over 1.5 million new cancer cases were reported in the US and over 600,000 people died from the disease.
In June 2023, based on its survey results, the NCCN called for action from the US government and its agencies, the pharmaceutical industry, providers, and payers to work to ensure quality, effective, equitable and accessible cancer care.
The NCCN has since worked with several organisations, including the White House, the National Cancer Institute, the Centres for Medicaid and Medicare and other oncology nonprofits, to determine short- and long-term fixes.
Robert Carlson, chief executive officer for NCCN, said: “Drug shortages aren’t new, but the widespread impact makes this one particularly alarming… We need enduring solutions in order to safeguard people with cancer and address any disparities in care.”
Alyssa Schatz, senior director, policy and advocacy, NCCN, said: “These drug shortages are the result of decades of systemic challenges.
“We have to acknowledge that the cancer drug shortage has been ongoing for months, which is unacceptable for anyone impacted by cancer today. These new survey results remind us that we are still in an ongoing crisis and must respond with appropriate urgency.”