Cancer treatment delayed due to medicine shortage

Hospitals have identified alternative chemotherapy supplies to address a medicine shortage that delayed the treatment of a number of cancer patients.

The shortage was caused by a precautionary recall of some chemotherapy drugs, with concerns that they may have been contaminated during manufacturing.

The alert was raised after Fanning Compounding in Dublin found there was bacteria in one of its machines used in the manufacturing process.

The bacteria — bacillus cereus, which can cause serious gastrointestinal infections — was discovered during routine testing.

Cancer patients are at particular risk of becoming ill as their immune systems are low.

There was no evidence the chemotherapy was contaminated or that patients were harmed.

The recall was completed on October 23, but in order to manage any potential risk, hospitals had to identify alternative suppliers.

The HSE said yesterday that hospitals experiencing disruption last week were now in a better position to deliver scheduled care.

While most patients did not experience any disruption in their treatment, a small number experienced a delay of one or two days.

The HSE pointed out that the treatment delay would have no clinical impact for the patients concerned.

Five patients attending Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Co Louth, had their treatment postponed from Tuesday to Wednesday last week because of a delay in the hospital receiving some drugs for chemotherapy treatment.

Cavan Hospital experienced delays of one to two days in receiving supplies and University Hospital Limerick confirmed that eight patients had been rescheduled for treatment this week because of a delay in receiving supplies.

The HSE said that the prompt actions taken since the start of the recall last month have resulted in alternative suppliers being secured.

“As a consequence, we are informed by the hospitals that those locations experiencing disruption last week are in a much better position this week to deliver scheduled care,” the HSE stated yesterday.

The HSE said any distress caused to patients was regrettable.