Shortages of drugs, including chemotherapeutics, are increasingly common in the USA, and compromise patient care, delay clinical trials and are associated with substantial financial costs. The recent shortage of vincristine, a chemotherapeutic used for most children with cancer and countless adult patients, presents a particularly vexing challenge. Drug shortages can cause patients unnecessary anxiety and challenge clinicians to ration lifesaving medications for which no alternative agent exists. We provide an overview of this problem and discuss potential solutions.
