FDA, pharmaceutical companies announce solution to cancer drug shortage

Feb 23 2012

The medicines, Doxil and methotrexate, are used to treat blood, breast and lung cancers.

The Philadelphia Inquirer: FDA, Drugmakers Say They've Solved Two Drug Shortages
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and several pharmaceutical companies said Tuesday they have reached agreements to alleviate shortages for the drugs methotrexate and Doxil. Methotrexate is used to treat children with a form of leukemia and others with tumors of the breast and lungs. Doxil is used to treat ovarian cancer and multiple myeloma (Sell, 2/21).

Bloomberg: Cancer-Drug Shortages Targeted By Stopgap FDA Approval Of Similar Products
Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories Ltd. (CPD) will import an unapproved drug from India with the same active ingredient as Doxil, made by New Brunswick, New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson ... A generic form of methotreaxate, made by APP Pharmaceuticals Inc (APPX)., has received expedited approval from the agency (Edney, 2/21).

ABC News: FDA Efforts Reversal Of Critical Cancer Drug Shortage
The FDA said its approval of a new supply method would increase production of the injection form of the drug methotrexate, which is used to treat children with the most common form of childhood leukemia. ... According to Michael Link, a pediatric oncologist and president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, some hospital pharmacies reported having only a couple of weeks of supplies left (Salahi, 2/21).

MSNBC: Patients Cheer As FDA Eases Shortages Of 2 Crucial Cancer Drugs
Ovarian cancer patients whose treatment was interrupted or even stopped entirely because they couldn't get supplies of the critical chemotherapy drug Doxil applauded news early Tuesday that federal health officials have found a solution to the shortage (Aleccia, 2/21).

Minnesota Public Radio: Minn. Hospitals Encouraged By FDA's Cancer Drug Approvals 
Pediatric oncologist Dr. Bruce Bostrom said methotrexate supplies have been stable at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. But he said doctors -; and parents -; have been watching the situation carefully. ... Bostrom said Children's uses methotrexate every day and currently has about 150 leukemia patients in its care. Some parents have considered going to Canada to access the drugs, he said (Dunbar, 2/21).