In 2011, the United States experienced shortages of more than 200 drugs, including chemotherapeutic agents, intravenous nutrition and anesthesia drugs. The vast majority of drugs in shortage were generic sterile injectibles.

Below are stories from some of the patients affected by these shortages.

Jacqueline from Plano, TX

TEXAS Ovarian Cancer Last year, at age 26, I was diagnosed with granulosa cell ovarian cancer. I was already Stage IIIC, with a huge ovarian tumor and two metastatic tumors on lymph nodes. Because my hospital (blessedly) is NCI-rated (UT...

Marcy from Portland, OR

OREGON Ovarian Cancer Doxil I exited my 50th year in peak health. I was commuting by bike 10 miles daily, growing my own organic vegetables year round, and had no history of medical issues. But suddenly, in early 2010, I was diagnosed with...

Linda from Denver, CO

COLORADO Ovarian Cancer Doxil I have had ovarian cancer since April 2005, with a two-and-a-half year remission. After my cancer recurred in 2008, I was given several drugs, which eventually lost effectiveness. In January 2010 I started on Doxil...

Pat from Carle Place, NY

NEW YORK Ovarian Cancer Doxil I was diagnosed with clear cell ovarian cancer, stage IIIC, in May 2010. After I received six rounds of Carboplatin and Abraxane, I went into remission in October 2010. I received Abraxane because I had an allergic...

Carey from Bethesda, MD

MARYLAND Ovarian Cancer Doxil My doctor put me on Doxil and carboplatin to try to get rid of some tumors associated with ovarian cancer that have been hanging around. Doxil was chosen because of recent research showing that it works especially...

Maggie from Hermosa Beach, CA

CALIFORNIA Ovarian Cancer Doxil I was diagnosed with IIIA ovarian cancer in November 2009. After surgery and chemotherapy, I was in remission about a year. I was diagnosed with a recurrence in July 2011. My oncologist planned to put me on...

Robert from McLean, VA

VIRGINIA Colorectal Cancer Leucovorin After my eighth chemotherapy session (out of twelve) for colorectal cancer, Ohio based Bedford Labs discontinued the distribution of Leucovorin. It was unavailable anywhere, at any price, to finish my...

Julie from Washburn, WI

WISCONSIN Ovarian Cancer Doxil I had ovarian cancer for two years and have had several rounds of different chemo and none of them worked. My Doctor thinks doxil would work based on certain blood tests I have had but now I am on a waiting list...

About this Site

Stopdrugshortages.org is a joint project of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance and Fight Colorectal Cancer. For more information, contact ocna@ovariancancer.org

Click here for more information and news regarding the drug shortages.