House Committee Launches Investigation Into Nationwide Shortages of Medications, Including Cancer Drugs

The committee’s ranking member, Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD), led the members in issuing letters to Teva (https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/2024-02-21.%20JBR%20et%20al.%20to%20Francis-Teva%20re%20Drug%20Shortage.pdf), Pfizer (https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/2024-02-21.%20JBR%20et%20al.%20to%20Bourla-Pfizer%20re%20Drug%20Shortage.pdf), and Sandoz (https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/2024-02-21.%20JBR%20et%20al.%20to%20Haruvi-Sandoz%20re%20Drug%20Shortage.pdf), asking for details on the root causes of their medication shortages and for practical solutions to return to full production.

“The current oncology drug shortage affects the clinical decision-making process, patient outcomes, and quality of life, and without crucial oncology drugs, cancer patients face severe gaps (http://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/19/health/cancer-drug-shortage.html) in their treatments and an increased risk of severe, life-threatening complications,” the committee wrote (https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/2024-02-21.%20JBR%20et%20al.%20to%20Bourla-Pfizer%20re%20Drug%20Shortage.pdf) in their letter to Pfizer.

They specifically asked (https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/2024-02-21.%20JBR%20et%20al.%20to%20Bourla-Pfizer%20re%20Drug%20Shortage.pdf) Pfizer to supply information about:

• The steps it is taking to increase the supply of its generic oncology drugs
• The steps it is taking to prevent price gouging and other barriers to patient access
• Whether it anticipates additional generic oncology drug shortages
• Its plan for additional manufacturing changes to prevent future oncology drug shortages
• How the company is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to prevent future oncology drug shortages

A two-time cancer survivor, Raskin knows the critical need (https://voice.ons.org/advocacy/cancer-knows-no-party-but-politicians-proudly-proclaim-their-prognoses-and-promote-policy) for cancer medications firsthand. He received chemotherapy for a colorectal cancer diagnosis in 2010 (https://cancerprogressreport.aacr.org/report/survivor-journeys/cpr17-survivors-raskin/) and chemo-immunotherapy for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in 2022 (https://raskin.house.gov/2022/12/statement-of-congressman-jamie-raskin-to-the-people-of-maryland-s-8th-district#:~:text=December%2028%2C%202022&text=%E2%80%9CAfter%20several%20days%20of%20tests,but%20curable%20form%20of%20cancer.). 

“These medications are particularly critical for cancer patients because they offer patients the chance of full recovery, and without access to these drugs, the consequences are life-threatening for many,” the lawmakers wrote (https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/2024-02-21.%20JBR%20et%20al.%20to%20Bourla-Pfizer%20re%20Drug%20Shortage.pdf).

Improving patient access to safe and affordable cancer drugs is one of ONS’s health policy priorities on the 2024 Health Policy Agenda for the 118th Congress, second session (https://www.ons.org/sites/default/files/2024-02/Health%20Policy%20Agenda%20118th%20Congress_%202nd%20Session.pdf). Learn more in the ONS Center for Advocacy and Health Policy (https://www.ons.org/make-difference/ons-center-advocacy-and-health-policy).