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# FDA Urged to Pull Failed Cancer Drugs Faster
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/fda-urged-to-pull-failed-cancer-drugs-faster/
- Published: 2023-02-23T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T18:17:03.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs, #legacy-id-D5153839

University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicines and Flatiron Health researchers say that given an increasing withdrawal of accelerated approval (AA) cancer drugs due to negative confirmatory trials and emerging evidence on the high spending associated with AA drugs, it is “critical to balance early access against population-level exposure to cancer therapies with no benefit over standard of care.” Writing in an online *JAMA Oncology* letter, the researchers [say](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2801800?ref=fdaweb.com) earlier access and more rapid FDA responses to negative confirmatory trial data may minimize exposure to AA therapies with a lack of benefit.

The study found that between 2009 and 2022, FDA approved 48 drugs for 66 oncology-related indications under the AA program. Since 2009, it says, 15 indications (23%) have been withdrawn due to lack of benefit over standard of care.

The study cohort included 4,342 patients who received 6,560 eligible lines of therapy. The median time from AA to indication withdrawal was 46 months. Between AA and subsequent withdrawal, the researchers say, 1,361 oncology treatment indications (26.1%) involved an AA therapy that was subsequently withdrawn.