To ease cancer drug shortage, FDA will allow imports from China

Su Bikun / VCG via Getty Images fileThe Food and Drug Administration is working with a Chinese drugmaker to import the chemotherapy drug cisplatin, a strategy aimed at ramping up supply amid an ongoing shortage of the drug in the United States.

Cisplatin, from drugmaker Qilu Pharmaceutical, is marketed and manufactured in China, but is not approved by the FDA in the U.S. Qilu will work with the Canada-based drugmaker Apotex to import and distribute the medication, according toHealth care providers should be able to begin ordering the drug on Tuesday, McKinney said.

Platinum-based drugs, which includes cisplatin and carboplatin, are prescribed to an estimated 10% to 20% of all cancer patients,The shortage means some patients will“Anything the FDA can do to bring more supply of cisplatin into the U.S. will be helpful,” Tichy said. “The FDA should consider importation when that option is available from a reliable source when there is a severe shortage.”

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