On behalf of Janssen Products, I wish to respond to Bill Martin’s July 17 letter, “Profit determines level of care,” about the current unavailability of Doxil (doxorubicin HCl liposome injection). We understand his frustration. In late June, we communicated to health care professionals, the FDA and patient groups that the company was experiencing an unexpected supply shortage of Doxil due to production delays at our third-party manufacturer. Based on the latest estimates, this product should begin shipping in late August. We are working diligently with our external supplier to help expedite production.
Doxil continues to be a cornerstone of our oncology offering. We sincerely regret this situation and are committed to ensuring the availability of all our approved oncology products to the health care community. Treatment options should be considered in discussions with physicians based on each patient’s individual situation. Should there be additional questions regarding Doxil, our medical information department is another resource at 1-800-526-7736.
We’ll continue to provide updates through multiple channels, including http://doxil.com. It is our sincere hope that by collaborating with all stakeholders, we can lessen the impact of this shortage on patients, like Martin, who are awaiting treatment with this drug.
Craig Tendler
Raritan, N.J.
