According to a recent NBC News article, the FDA is partnering with a Chinese drugmaker, Qilu Pharmaceutical, to import the chemotherapy drug cisplatin in an effort to address the ongoing shortage of the drug in the United States. Cisplatin has been in short supply since February, and the FDA's collaboration with Qilu Pharmaceutical aims to ramp up the drug's availability by importing it from China. The medication will be distributed in the US through Canada-based drugmaker Apotex. The FDA is also exploring the possibility of importing carboplatin, another chemotherapy drug facing shortages.
The shortage of cisplatin and carboplatin has posed challenges for cancer patients who rely on these drugs for their treatment. Platinum-based drugs like cisplatin and carboplatin are prescribed for various types of cancers, including testicular, lung, bladder, cervical, and ovarian cancers. The collaboration with Qilu Pharmaceutical is seen as a temporary measure to address the shortage and provide patients with the potentially life-extending drug.
