Thousands of cancer patients across the country are being forced to wait weeks for proper treatments due to a nationwide drug shortage. The Food and Drug Administration broke the news in February.
Chemotherapeutic drugs like carboplatin and cisplatin are commonly used by medical professionals to treat ovarian, bladder, head, neck and other tumors.
Dr. Tod Morris, who oversees the treatment of roughly 80 patients at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Cancer Center, said the shortage could continue for several months but will do whatever he can to help.
The hospital is going through emergency supplies to make ends meet.
“We have developed a number of mitigation strategies to minimize that impact and risk to each of these very vulnerable patients," said Morris. "We’re going to do everything we can to provide the highest quality outcomes in this difficult situation.”
Morris and his team requested 800 milligrams of cisplatin last week from regional drug vendors. However, that will only be enough for a week because of high demand.
Currently, there are 136 drugs in short supply according to the FDA.
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