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Cancer drug shortages: Awareness and perspectives from a representative sample of the US population.
Frosch, Zachary A K; Cronin, Angel M; Gagne, Joshua J; Teschke, Maxwell P; Gray, Stacy W; Abel, Gregory A.
Affiliation
  • Frosch ZAK; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.
  • Cronin AM; Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
  • Gagne JJ; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.
  • Teschke MP; Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
  • Gray SW; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.
  • Abel GA; City of Hope, Duarte, California.
Cancer ; 124(10): 2205-2211, 2018 05 15.
Article in En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29635808
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Although cancer drug shortages are a persistent problem in oncology, little is known about the awareness and perspectives of the US population with respect to shortages.

METHODS:

In 2016, we administered a 13-item cross-sectional survey to 420 respondents who were randomly selected from an online, probability-based sample demographically representative of the adult US population with respect to sex, age, race/ethnicity, education, geography, and income. Analyses applied poststratification sampling weights to draw national inferences.

RESULTS:

Overall, 16% of respondents reported being aware of drug shortages. Those with a personal history of cancer were more likely to be aware (31% vs 14% [P = .03]). In the overall cohort, most reported wanting to be informed about a substitution due to shortage 87% and 82% for major or minor differences in efficacy, and 87% and 83% for major or minor differences in side effects. Most also reported they would transfer care to avoid a substitution 72% for major differences in efficacy, and 61% for major differences in side effects. Black respondents, the uninsured, the unemployed, those with lower income, and the less well-educated were all less likely to report that they would transfer care to avoid major differences in efficacy (all P < .05).

CONCLUSION:

These data suggest that the US population is largely unaware of cancer drug shortages. Moreover, if being treated for cancer, most people would want to know about drug substitutions, even if it were to result in only minor differences in efficacy or side effects. With more significant differences, many would transfer care. Cancer 2018;1242205-11. © 2018 American Cancer Society.
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Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Drugs, Generic / Drug Substitution / Neoplasms / Antineoplastic Agents Type of study: Observational_studies / Prevalence_studies / Qualitative_research / Risk_factors_studies Limits: Adult / Aged / Female / Humans / Male / Middle aged Country/Region as subject: America do norte Language: En Journal: Cancer Year: 2018 Type: Article

Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Drugs, Generic / Drug Substitution / Neoplasms / Antineoplastic Agents Type of study: Observational_studies / Prevalence_studies / Qualitative_research / Risk_factors_studies Limits: Adult / Aged / Female / Humans / Male / Middle aged Country/Region as subject: America do norte Language: En Journal: Cancer Year: 2018 Type: Article