THE 12 CANCER patients affected by the shortage of the Paclitaxel drug are back on their medication.
A batch of 120 phials of the drug was delivered to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) on Tuesday, and treatment has resumed on the patients who were without the drug since April 29.
Another 500 phials are on order from independent supplier Pharmacy Sales, and is expected to be delivered by courier in about four days.
Chief executive officer of the QEH, Dr Dexter James, cleared the air on the issue, which
was highlighted in the DAILY NATION two days ago, at a Press conference yesterday.
Concerned that the QEH was presented as a “reckless, irresponsible entity for a certain category of patient”, James explained that the Barbados Drug Service (BDS) had contracted Lasco, Biocal and Collins to supply the drug and that they were all out of stock when the QEH sought to reorder on April 19.
He said the QEH orders Paclitaxel in batches of 300 and look to restock when the supply gets down to between 120 and 100 phials.
According to James, the QEH pharmacist informed the BDS that the hospital was running out of drug on April 19. He stressed that the QEH was still in possession of 120 phials of the drug at that time. The last set was administered on April 29.
James said he had not received any feedback about adverse effects with the patients who had gone without the drug.
“We immediately took steps to find out in Barbados where there was any provider, outside of the contract, who could supply the drug Paclitaxel. Luckily for us, Pharmacy Sales indicated to us that they can supply the drug, but it would take them between two to three weeks to have the drug shipped in from the manufacturer overseas.”
