TAMPA, Fla. — Back in June, ABC Action News told you about a nationwide shortage of cancer drugs, specifically carboplatin and cisplatin, which are generic chemotherapy drugs used to treat a wide variety of cancers.
The shortage was impacting hospitals like Moffitt Cancer Center.
ABC Action News checked back in with Moffitt to see where things stand. The Oncology Infusion Pharmacy Services Manager told us that right now, Moffitt feels comfortable with the supply they have of those two drugs.
“As we speak, right now, we have almost six months’ supply of carboplatin and an almost four months’ supply of cisplatin. So, we feel comfortable that we are going to be able to continue to treat our patients,” explained Bichoy Gabra, Oncology Infusion Pharmacy manager at Moffitt Cancer Center.
Gabra said in order to up their supply, Moffitt had to work with their wholesalers and advocates to get their fair share of products. Moffitt is working to fight the shortage every day before the supply gets too low.
“We are hoping to get to the point where for these non-expensive oncology drugs that we have to secure up to six months' supply worth of those drugs on our shelves. So whenever anything happens with raw material problems or production issues or manufacturers getting off the market, we have at least enough supply on our shelf to not deny the opportunity for those treatments,” said Gabra.
Right now, there is a new shortage on the national level of two drugs, Vinblastine and Dacarbazine. Both are part of regimens mainly for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
The pharmacy manager said, unfortunately, almost every month, there's a national new shortage. So Moffitt is constantly working to do whatever they can to make sure they have the drugs their patients need.
