FDA fighting shortage of cancer drugs

The Food and Drug Administration has moved to increase the supplies of two needed cancer-treatment drugs and on Tuesday issued a draft guidance on how to cope with the problem of drug shortages.

The federal agency announced that it will temporarily allow the importing of a replacement drug for Doxil, a drug used in the treatment of ovarian and other cancers that has been unavailable for new patients for months.

It also said it has approved another supplier for a preservative-free version of methotrexate, a drug used for children with one type of leukemia and for treatment of bone cancer. Preservatives in the drug can cause problems for children and for those getting high doses as part of their cancer treatment. Adequate methotrexate supplies have been a problem since about 2008.

Drug shortages are a periodic woe and the Obama administration has stepped up its efforts to deal with the problem by getting advance information of impending difficulties from manufacturers.

On Tuesday, the FDA increased its requirements for mandatory and voluntary notification of issues that could disrupt the supply chain, a step building on the executive order signed by the president Oct. 31.