For five months, drugmakers have reported changing resupply dates for cisplatin, an oncology treatment in short supply. The release date just changed again, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists' latest update.
Cisplatin is approved for bladder cancer and used off-label for at least 10 other cancers.
The ASHP's drug shortage dashboard reported a shortage of cisplatin injections on Jan. 10. In early February, the organization said five solutions were in shortage as one drug manufacturer told the organization to expect a resupply in mid-February while others said they could not expect a release date. The FDA reported the shortage Feb. 10.
By mid-March, companies making cisplatin told ASHP the supply was restocked to normal levels. About a month later, 10 solutions were on back order or allocation as one solution was available. Most drugmakers did not provide an estimated resupply date, and Fresenius Kabi said its three back-ordered solutions would be available again between April and June.
The ASHP reported May 9 that 10 solutions were still unavailable and one was in stock. Fresenius pushed its predicted resupply dates to be between May and late June, and Hikma Pharmaceuticals said it estimates a release date for one of its products to be between late May and early June.
As the shortage continues, the Society of Gynecologic Oncology suggests healthcare organizations order alternative agents instead of cisplatin or carboplatin — another cancer drug in shortage — and decrease doses and increase intervals between those doses if clinically acceptable.