In the vaccine scramble, cancer patients are left behind

Many cancer patients are facing challenges as they seek to get vaccinated against COVID-19. It is preferable for cancer patients who take immunosuppressants to be vaccinated at a cancer center or under the care of a physician so they can observed and come in contact with fewer people. Steven Pergam, MD, infection prevention director at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and co-leader of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s COVID-19 vaccine committee, says cancer patients should ask their physicians about their options, such as a drive-through at a vaccination site, and also encourages any eligible members of their household to get vaccinated. Tobias Hohl, MD, chief of infectious disease service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, notes that some major cancer centers cannot offer vaccines to patients who reside in a different state. Hohl says he provides care to patients from throughout the tristate metropolitan area, and 10% of the center’s patients are international; however, New York rules permit the center to vaccinate only state residents.