Every academic cancer center that answered the latest National Comprehensive Cancer Network survey reported a shortage of at least one anticancer drug, and more than 20% were short of five or more medications at once. Buried in the same results is a figure that describes a much larger group of patients: 77% of those centers said they were aware of shortage problems at community oncology practices in their own region.
That number points outside the survey's own sample. NCCN polled its member institutions, which are large academic centers with dedicated pharmacy departments, buying leverage and staff whose job is to manage supply. The practices they were describing are the neighborhood infusion centers, hospital-affiliated clinics and rural hospitals where most Americans actually receive chemotherapy.
