National Stockpiling of Pediatric Cancer Medications in the United States: An Alternative Approach to Hospital-Based Storage for Essential Oncology Drugs.

Abstract

Despite continued efforts, pediatric oncology patients face, at times, insurmountable barriers to cancer medication access, creating an ongoing public health crisis with potentially tragic consequences. These shortages adversely impact pediatric patients in the United States and their ability to complete pivotal drug regimens. Resource availability and accessibility are exacerbated by a lack of oversight and predictability in the practices of manufacturers, distributors, and hospitals. In this review, we specifically examined the impact of current drug inventory practices within hospitals and subsequently developed recommendations for implementing pediatric cancer drugs into Strategic National Stockpiles for a more regulated approach to drug distribution.