Tamoxifen supply bottleneck – cancer society calls for better early warning system
14.02.2022 10:36
The German Cancer Society is calling for a better early warning system to avert drug supply shortages. The reason for the demand is a supply bottleneck of tamoxifen that has existed since the beginning of the year. The active ingredient is used in the treatment of breast cancer patients. 85 percent of the market in Germany is currently affected by the delivery bottleneck.
According to the Pro Generika Association, the delivery bottleneck for tamoxifen is due to delivery difficulties for the raw material. Accordingly, active ingredient manufacturers have stopped producing tamoxifen for cost reasons, and there are only a few suppliers left on the market. Dr. Johannes Bruns, Secretary General of the German Cancer Society. V., therefore sees a growing need to counteract this: “In the past, people affected by cancer were repeatedly confronted with delivery bottlenecks, for example with chemotherapy drugs. We urgently need a better early warning system and appropriate options to avert an impending supply deficit in good time.” This requires, among other things, that the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) get a better overview of where drug manufacturers are dependent on a few suppliers or locations. If a location fails, a delivery bottleneck could quickly become a supply bottleneck. “Medicines are not simple consumer goods, but special goods for medical care. We need a system that allows us to plan ahead and react quickly,” says Bruns.
Tamoxifen is primarily used in breast cancer patients with hormone-dependent tumor growth. The active ingredient belongs to the group of antiestrogens. It blocks the binding of estrogens to the corresponding docking sites (receptors) of the cancer cells. The lack of a growth signal leads to a decrease in cell proliferation and an inhibition of the growth of hormone-dependent tumor cells. “Tamoxifen is an integral part of the therapy for breast cancer sufferers with a hormone receptor-positive tumor and is usually taken for years,” says Prof. Dr. Jens-Uwe Blohmer, Chairman of the Gynecological Oncology Working Group of the German Cancer Society and Director of the Clinic for Gynecology with Breast Center at the Charité. He points to possible treatment alternatives: “The dosage of 20 mg is currently particularly affected by the delivery bottleneck. The dosage can be replaced with 2x10 mg tablets. In some cases, other anti-hormonal therapy can also be used, but this can cause more side effects. In any case, patients should consult the treating oncologist,” says Blohmer. He also points out the need for an early warning system to avert supply bottlenecks.
The statement is available at the following link: www.krebsgesellschaft.de/deutsche-krebsgesellschaft/klinische-expertise/wissene-stellungnahme.html