The Shortage of Essential Chemotherapy Drugs in the United States

Some essential oncology drugs are in short supply in the United States, raising concern about safety, cost, and availability of life-saving treatments. The causes are economic: manufacturers don't make big profits on generics, and oncologists make money on drug markups. For the first time in the United States, some essential chemotherapy drugs are in short supply. Most are generic drugs that have been used for years in childhood leukemia and curable cancers — vincristine, methotrexate, leucovorin, cytarabine, doxorubicin, bleomycin, and paclitaxel. 1 The shortages have caused serious concerns about safety, cost, and availability of lifesaving treatments. In a survey from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, 25% of clinicians indicated that an error had occurred at their site because of drug shortages. Many of these errors were attributed to inexperience with alternative products — for instance, incorrect administration of levoleucovorin (Fusilev) when . . .