Cancer Drug ‘Strategic Reserve’ May Be Shortage Solution, US FDA’s Pazdur Says

A national stockpile could provide immediate relief in the case of shortages, but also a ‘floor’ under pricing that might prevent more shortages in the first place, the head of the US FDA’s Oncology Center of Excellence says.

cancer drugs
A strategic reserve of cancer drugs could help set a price floor, Pazdur said. • Source: Shutterstock

An oncology drug “strategic reserve” could be a long-term solution to chronic shortages of critical cancer medicines in the US, FDA Oncology Center of Excellence Director Richard Pazdur suggested during a Friends of Cancer Research workshop last month.

While carefully noting that he cannot advocate for legislative changes, Pazdur described the stockpile as an idea that the “oncology...

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