Expert Discusses Navigating Higher Prices of Chemotherapy Drugs Amid Shortage

It is crucial to ensure that patients continue to receive life-saving treatment with chemotherapy drugs, even if it means purchasing agents at higher price points, according to Luciano N. Gordon, MD.

In an interview with CancerNetwork^®, Gordon, president and managing physician at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute who sees patients in the state-wide practice's Gainesville Cancer Center, discussed how his institution has absorbed the rising costs of carboplatin, cisplatin, and other chemotherapy drugs that are currently in short supply across the United States.

Gordan indicated that the limited supply of platinum-based agents such as carboplatin and cisplatin poses a financial challenge, stating that previously low prices made it difficult for sellers to warrant manufacturing and sell these drugs. He stated that it is be “reasonable” to accept paying a elevated price if it means increasing access to these treatments for patients with cancer.

Transcript:

We have allowed purchase of some amount of drugs even at a higher price because we thought it was important to keep the patients on treatment with these life-saving drugs. They're the backbone of several chemotherapy regimens, and many of these patients are receiving these treatments to improve cure rates. Essentially, the practice absorbs the cost, and we did invest the cost to the patient. We can do this for awhile but if price increases or gouging is allowed to go unchecked—if a drug costs $1000 or $10,000, if you have price gouging of 200%, 300%, 1000%, or more—then it's impossible to stay in business and to get the drug to the patients.

I think the problem is that with some of these drugs that are in shortage—specifically the platinum agents, carboplatin and cisplatin—it is a financial problem because the price of these drugs got so low that is not feasible for a manufacturer to produce these drugs. I think most of us would be reasonable and be able to pay a slightly higher price than the current [price] to allow improved supplies.