Ethical considerations for the clinical oncologist in an era of oncology drug shortages.
Shortages of injectable drugs affect many cancer patients and providers in the U.S. today. Scholars and policymakers have recently begun to devote increased attention to these issues, but only a few tangible resources exist to guide clinical oncologists in developing strategies for dealing with drug shortages on a recurring basis. This article discusses existing information from the scholarly literature, policy analyses, and other relevant sources and seeks to provide practical ethical guidance to the broad audience of oncology professionals who are increasingly confronted with such cases in their practice. We begin by providing a brief overview of the history, causes, and regulatory context of oncology drug shortages in the U.S., followed by a discussion of ethical frameworks that have been proposed in this setting. We conclude with practical recommendations for ethical professional behavior in these increasingly common and challenging situations.
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; American Society of Clinical Oncology, Alexandria, Virginia, USA; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA; Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA; Medical Oncology Hematology Consultants, Newark, Delaware, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Reshma
R
Jagsi
Rebecca
R
Spence
W Kimryn
WK
Rathmell
Angela
A
Bradbury
Jeffrey
J
Peppercorn
Stephen
S
Grubbs
Beverly
B
Moy
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D002648:Child; D016527:Drug Costs; D005260:Female; D015276:Health Care Rationing / Q000941:ethics* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000941:ethics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010820:Physicians; D014481:United States
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
Drug; Ethics; Oncology; Policy; Recommendations; Shortage