The drug shortage crisis in the United States may continue to impact the care of 10% of patients and survivors of cancer, according to a new survey from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN).
Survey Findings
In the new survey, researchers asked 1,222 patients and survivors of cancer to answer questions regarding the impact of the current drug shortages and whether biomarker testing altered the course of their treatment. The researchers found that 68% of the respondents had difficulties finding substitute drugs and 59% of them experienced treatment delays.
Further, 77% of the respondents who underwent biomarker testing agreed that the results gave their health-care providers valuable information that led to improved treatments, and 77% of those who didn’t undergo biomarker testing stated that they would like to have the testing if they were good candidates.
Conclusions
The researchers emphasized that equitable access to biomarker testing may be critical to ensuring that more patients can receive the most effective treatments for their specific cancer types. To date, 13 states have enacted legislation to expand access to such testing.
“Today’s survey makes clear that our nation’s drug shortage continues to be a life-threatening issue for too many patients who depend on access to the medicine they need to survive,” underscored Lisa Lacasse, MBA, President of the ACS CAN. “Congress needs to act urgently to address today’s drug shortages by advancing a comprehensive proposal that will both resolve the current issue as well as prevent future crises,” she concluded.
To view the full findings from the new survey, visit fightcancer.org.
