Skopje, 29 January 2025 (MIA) - The Oncology Clinic received on Wednesday two of the six cancer drugs it is missing, the head of the clinic, Igor Stojkovski, told MIA, adding that the patients are being notified they can receive the necessary medication.

The Oncology Clinic is expecting to receive an additional drug on Wednesday.

“The remaining three drugs will arrive at the beginning of February. Administrative procedure are being completed for the drugs we are missing, in order to secure the appropriate medication for the patients,” Stojkovski told MIA.

Stojkovski said as of next week, the clinic will have new budget funds and will be able to secure a year-long supply of medications for its patients. He said the Health Insurance Fund would assist the clinic if it needs additional funds.

Since Jan. 17, cancer patients have been unable to fill their prescriptions for the lung cancer drug atezolizumab (tecentriq), the metastatic colorectal cancer medication bevacizumab (avastin), the breast cancer growth blockers palbociclib and ribociclib, the advanced breast cancer treatment fulvestrant as well as the advanced bowel cancer, head cancer and neck cancer drug cetuximab.

Cancer patients told MIA they were afraid that soon there will also be a shortage of the breast cancer treatment trastuzumab emtansine (kadcyla), the immunotherapy drugs nivolumab and cobimetinib as well as the metastatic melanoma cancer growth blocker vemurafenib.  

Photo: MIA