Study: Oncologists, Patients Affected by Drug Shortages

Cancer drug shortages have been reported by 83 percent of oncologists, almost all of whom said the shortages have negatively impacted their patients' treatment, according to a study presented at the 2013 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Researchers surveyed a representative sample of 250 oncologists from 2012 to 2013 to determine the prevalence and the impacts of drug shortages.


The results showed both the high rate of physicians and patients impacted by the shortages, and also how physicians have modified their treatments when drugs are scarce:

•    78 percent treated patients with a different drug or drug regimen
•    77 percent substituted different drugs partway through therapy
•    43 percent had to delay their patients' treatment
•    37 percent had to choose among patients who needed a certain drug
•    29 percent omitted doses, and 20 percent reduced doses
•    17 percent referred patients to another practice

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