In an official address to the Ministry of Health, the National House of Health, and the Federation of Cancer Associations, an oncologist from Cluj Napoca draws attention to the acute crisis of essential drugs for the treatment of cancer in Romania. This shortage endangers the lives and health of cancer patients and has a devastating impact on them and their families.
They sell drugs for cancer patients in hospitals – Arcomed.com
Numerous patients diagnosed with various forms of cancer are unable to continue their treatments due to the shortage of essential drugs.
“The situation endangers the life and health of patients, having a devastating impact on both them and their families“, emphasizes Dr. Udrea Anghel Adrian.
The health unit led by the oncologist asks the authorities to solve this situation as soon as possible.
“We bring to your attention the insufficiency and lack of some drugs essential for the treatment of cancer at drug suppliers in Romania, respectfully requesting you to take all the necessary steps to resolve this crisis situation. Clearly, continuing treatment without interruption is crucial to cancer patients’ chances of cure and survival.”, it is mentioned in the document.
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There is a lack of drugs to treat cancer
Critical drugs mentioned in the notification include:
- FOLCASIN: Essential for treating leukemia and other types of cancer, its absence can lead to severe treatment interruptions, reducing the chances of survival.
- CISPLATIN: A first-line chemotherapy agent used in the treatment of lung, ovarian and bladder cancer, the lack of which directly affects therapeutic success.
- NAB-PACLITAXEL (Abraxane): Used to treat breast cancer and other solid tumors, its shortage limits modern therapeutic options. Moreover, this medicine offered patientsbetter chance of response to treatment and fewer side effects”.
- PEMETREXED: Used in the treatment of lung cancer and mesothelioma, its absence leads to significant delays in the administration of treatment. “Pemetrexed is indispensable to modern treatment regimens and its absence is a serious problem for patients and doctors alike.“
- GEMCITABINE: Widely used in the treatment of pancreatic, bladder and breast cancer, its absence seriously compromises treatment plans.
Devastating impact on cancer patients
“The absence of these essential drugs seriously compromises patients’ treatment plans, leading to rapid disease progression and a considerable reduction in survival chances. In addition, healthcare staff face additional challenges in trying to manage these critical supply shortfalls.”says the doctor.
Situations like this are not rare, and people risk losing their lives because of it.
“I’ve seen cases where people sold their homes, everything they had to give themselves a chance at life.”, Cezar Irimia, the President of the Federation of Associations of Cancer Patients, recently sent for “truth“.
Oncological diseases rank second in the list of major causes of mortality in Romania, with 46,370 deaths registered in 2023, which represents 19.1% of all deaths.
The doctors are asking the Ministry of Health to take all the necessary steps to solve this crisis, including establishing strategic partnerships with international manufacturers to ensure a continuous supply flow, implementing an effective stock monitoring system and allocating additional funds for the purchase of oncology drugs.
“This problem cannot be ignored, and prompt and effective intervention is vital for tens of thousands of cancer patients”, concludes Dr. Udrea Anghel Adrian.
Recently, the normative act approved by the government entered into force, by which uninsured patients with oncological diseases benefit from free prevention, diagnosis and treatment services from July 1, just like insured people. However, both doctors and patient representatives pointed out that the lack of funds, family doctors in the red and more will affect the implementation of the new measures.
