Dr. Gogineni Comments on Oncology Drug Shortages

Keerthi Gogineni, MD, MSHP, medical oncologist, Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, comments on oncology drug shortages in the U.S.

Of the 210 oncologists surveyed, 83% reported a shortage in a cancer drug that they wanted to use to treat their patients. Of those, 94% of oncologists said that their patients' treatment was affected.

Because of the drug shortages, oncologists were forced to make expensive drug substitutions. Despite the prevalence of drug shortage issues since 2006, Gogineni says, oncologists have received little guidance regarding what substitutions to make and ethical guidance about appropriate substitutions.