CLINICAL NEWS
Caught Short The Smoking Gun
Prescription-drug shortages negatively affect patient care and, according to research published in the
New England Journal of Medicine, increase drug prices. Tobacco smoking
is known to be
a risk factor for
the development of many types of cancers, includ-
ing chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), but it is unclear
whether smoking is also an unfavorable prognostic
factor. A long-term analysis of the German CML Study
confirmed that patients with CML who smoke have a
higher risk of disease progression and death.
Using the bladder cancer drug mitomycin as an example, the authors demonstrated that average
wholesale prices nearly doubled after the manufacturer announced supply disruptions in 2014 and 2015:
40 mg vial $436.80 to $869.59 to $1,415 (99% and additional 63% increase)
0
$
100
$
200
300
$
$
400
$
500
600
$
$
700
$
800
900
$
$
1,000
$
1,100
$
1,200 $ 1,300
$
1,400
$
1,500 $ 1,600
$
Of the 1,536 study participants, 261 patients (20%)
were current smokers – and smoking was more
common among men (24%) than women (13%).
Compared with smokers, nonsmokers had:
5 mg vial $67.20 to $165.60 to $272.46 (146% and additional 65% increase)
0
$
100
$
150
$
200
$
250
$
300
$
With these price hikes, the authors estimated that Medicare Part B beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket costs for
mitomycin would have increased from approximately $49 per year in 2012 to $155 in 2015.
Source: Davies BJ, Hwang TJ, Kesselheim AS. Ensuring access to injectable generic drugs — the case of intravesical BCG for bladder cancer.
N Engl J Med. 2017;376:1401-3.
• a higher 8-year survival
probability (87 % vs. 83 % )
• a lower 8-year incidence of
disease progression
(7 % vs. 12 % )
Source: Lauseker M, Hasford J, Saussele S, et al. Smokers with chronic
myeloid leukemia are at a higher risk of disease progression and premature
death. Cancer. 2017 February 13. [Epub ahead of print]
Alternative Facts About
Alternative Medicines
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is cracking
down on companies that sell products that claim to prevent,
diagnose, treat, or cure cancer – despite lacking marketing
clearance from the agency.
Regulators sent letters to 14 companies selling more than
65 products, warning them to stop making false claims
about products’ anti-cancer properties or face possible crimi-
nal prosecution.
The illegally sold products cited
in the warning letters include
pills, topical creams, ointments,
oils, drops, syrups, teas, and
diagnostic devices.
Game, Set, Match
This year’s Match Day was the largest in history, with record-high numbers of registered applicants and
positions offered. Congrats to the 2017 matched residents!
• 35,969 active applicants (up 1.4% from 2016)
• 31,757 offered positions (up 3.3% from 2016)
31,554 positions were filled with the matching algorithm and through the Match Week Supplemental
Offer and Acceptance Program, for an overall position fill rate of 99.4%.
Source: National Resident Matching Program, “2017 Main Residency Match Data,” May 1, 2017.
ASHClinicalNews.org
“These or similar
unproven products may
be unsafe and could
prevent a person
from seeking
an appropriate
and potentially
lifesaving cancer
diagnosis or
treatment.”
Douglas Stearn,
director of the FDA’s
Office of Enforcement
and Import
Operations, said in a
statement. ●
Sources: The Washington
Post, April 26, 2017; U.S. Food
and Drug Administration
news release, April 25, 2017.
ASH Clinical News
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