Hospira refutes high pricing of paclitaxel during drug shortage

The Canadian subsidiary of USA-based injectable generic drugs specialist Hospira (NYSE: HSP) has refuted press reports regarding its supply and pricing strategy with regard to the cancer drug paclitaxel.

Shortage of the drug, used to treat breast, lung and ovarian cancer, occurred after Health Canada inspectors suspended the operations of Biolyse Pharma, citing the generic drugmaker with six violations in the production of paclitaxel. According to a Montreal Gazette report last week, paclitaxel usually sells for C$42 to C$50 a vial, but some hospitals are now paying up to C$4,000 a vial. An April 29 invoice from Hospira to Maisonneuve-Rosemont shows the hospital purchased 30 vials of paclitaxel for C$118,327. The east-end hospital would normally pay C$1,285 for the same supply, the newspaper said.

Hospira stated: “Given recent misinformation, we at Hospira Canada feel it is very important to clarify and provide further context regarding the Canadian supply and pricing of paclitaxel – a life-saving cancer medication. Most importantly, through Hospira's efforts, and working closely with Health Canada, a severe oncology treatment crisis was avoided, resulting in no patient disruption of a key oncolytic therapy.”