Chemotherapy Shortages: Carboplatin and Cisplatin are in extremely short supply.
As an oncologist who uses these drugs daily, these shortages will negatively impact the care we can provide and the care that patients can receive.
What can you do? To start with, contact your elected officials. Here is a draft letter below we can all use to send to our representatives and senators about the drug shortage. Please modify as relevant for you (oncologist/patient advocate/nurse etc). #WeNeedChemoDrugs.
Dear [Congressperson],
I am writing to express my deep concern about the shortages of cisplatin and carboplatin, two critical drugs that are essential in the treatment of cancer. As an oncologist, I see the devastating impact that a shortage of these drugs can have on the care we provide to our patients.
Cisplatin and carboplatin are used in the treatment of a wide range of cancers, including but not limited to ovarian, cervical, uterine, breast, lung, and esophageal cancer. These drugs are often a crucial component of cancer treatment, and without them, our ability to provide effective care to our patients is significantly impacted.
The current shortage of cisplatin and carboplatin is a major concern, and we urgently need action to address this issue. It is essential that we have greater transparency about the supply of these drugs, as well as a clear plan to rapidly increase production to meet the demand.
This is an emergency need, and we cannot afford to delay action any longer. Patients with cancer are already facing enough challenges, and a shortage of these critical drugs only adds to their burden. It is our responsibility to do everything we can to ensure that they have access to the care and treatments they need to fight this disease.
I urge you to use your position to advocate for increased and rapid production of these chemotherapy agents to meet the current demand and for policies to ensure that shortages like this do not occur in the future. We need to act quickly to ensure that patients with cancer have immediate access to the best possible treatments.
Thank you for your attention to this critical issue.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
