Leukemia patients desperate amid critical medication shortage at Paraguay's IPS

Patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) in Paraguay are in a desperate situation due to a critical shortage of essential medications at the Institute of Social Security (IPS).

The lack of vital drugs is jeopardizing the health of CML patients, who rely on continuous treatment to manage their condition. Patients report leaving IPS facilities empty-handed, with the scarcity of specific medications like Nilotinib and critically low stock of Imatinib posing a severe threat. These drugs are tyrosine kinase inhibitors, crucial for molecularly targeting cancer cells, and any interruption in their supply can lead to rapid disease progression, undoing years of hard-won remission.

The situation at IPS, while not new, has alarmingly worsened in recent months. What should be a guaranteed right for insured workers has become a race against time and bureaucracy. Despite persistent complaints and media attention, the response from IPS authorities has been insufficient, according to patients. The Foundation Unidos contra el Cáncer (Funca) has formally notified the president of the Administrative Council, Isaías Fretes, about the critical drug stock-out.

Medical specialists emphasize that the continuous use of Nilotinib (Tasigna) and Imatinib (Glivec) is fundamental for controlling CML. Interrupting these treatments not only poses immediate health risks but also threatens to reverse the benefits achieved over years of therapy. This exposes insured individuals to unnecessary and avoidable dangers, undermining the effectiveness of international scientific protocols used to manage their doses.

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The success of the treatment depends on continuous use.