U.S. Congress Must Empower FDA to Solve Cancer Drug Shortages, Representative Pallone Urges

June 15, 2023 by Alec Stone MA, MPA, Former ONS Director of Government Affairs and Advocacy

The COVID-19 pandemic crushed supply chains and caused the global trading system to falter. Although many industries have rebounded, pharma is still experiencing its effects (https://democrats-energycommerce.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/pallone-addresses-cancer-drug-supply-shortages). Drug shortages directly limit healthcare providers’ ability to provide patient-centered oncology care.

Frank Pallone (D-NJ), ranking member of the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, urged the Biden-Harris administration and U.S. Food and Drug Administration to find solutions (https://democrats-energycommerce.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/pallone-addresses-cancer-drug-supply-shortages) to cancer drug shortages.

“It is both heartbreaking and unacceptable that patients are experiencing delays in access to the lifesaving cancer medications carboplatin and cisplatin due to supply shortages,” Pallone said (https://democrats-energycommerce.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/pallone-addresses-cancer-drug-supply-shortages). “Carboplatin and cisplatin are just the latest in a line of drug shortages that are becoming all too common.”

ONS joins Pallone and the greater cancer community in raising awareness (https://www.ons.org/make-a-difference/advocacy-policy/public-health) of this very real issue and to identify ways to overcome the shortage.


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