Toni Dezomits has had to change her ovarian cancer treatment plan due to a shortage of chemotherapy drugs

Toni Dezomits, a 55-year-old retired law enforcement officer, is fighting a recurrence of her stage 4 ovarian cancer. She had already undergone several rounds of chemotherapy when her doctor told her she had some more bad news.

Just a day before her third round of treatment last month, Ms Dezomits was told there was a nationwide shortage of the generic chemotherapy drug, carboplatin – one of three medications she was meant to receive.

Forced to choose between going without the medication or swapping it for another with stronger side effects, the North Carolina native is finishing her final three chemotherapy sessions with only two of the recommended drugs.

“You have these two sub-optimal choices,” she said. “I’m worried, because I know the drug I’m not getting is the one my cancer responded to very well [the first time].”

Experts say the US is currently suffering one of the most severe shortages of chemotherapy drugs it’s seen for three decades.

Ms Dezomits is one […]

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