There are some good news. drug shortagesMany essential childhood cancer medications are now available. However, the root cause of the problem remains.
Since the beginning of 2011, hospitals have experienced severe shortages of generic drugs for many conditions, including cancer. There were 250 shortages in 2011, just for 2011.
Drug manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies make less from many older generic drugs that are used for cancer treatment. Most shortages are due to manufacturing issues and production problems.
Many new shortages have been avoided by drug manufacturers cooperating with the FDA. Unfortunately, both for children and adults, the availability of oncology medicines is severely lacking.
Sandra Kweder is the deputy director of FDA’s Office of New Drugs. She wholeheartedly supports it. “With regard to oncology drugs we remain extremely concerned about the shortages,”At a press conference organized by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, she spoke.
There are still shortages of anesthesia, pain medicine, and antibiotics. However, the scarcity in cancer drugs means that any shortage can have a major impact. Record breaking numbers were set last year when more than 200 drugs for cancer became unavailable.
Production was halted at several crucial drugs after a Ohio plant was closed down last November due to manufacturing issues. This included a preservative free version of methotrexate, which is the main treatment for common pediatric cancer, acute lymphoblastic Leukemia.
“The childhood cancer community was very concerned,”Angie Hayes is the Case Manager at The National Children’s Cancer Society. “Childhood cancer patients and families shouldn’t have to delay treatment because hospitals and cancer treatment centers ran out of medication.”
The Fight Against Childhood Cancer Does Not Stop
The NCCS has helped more than 30,000 U.S.-born children. In 25 years of existence, NCCS has expanded and developed programs such as the Pediatric Oncology Program or Beyond the Cure. This program has distributed $54 Million to families. Beyond the Cure has given $125,000 to 38 survivors of childhood cancer this year. This survivorship program is designed to educate families and children about the challenges they face.
Visit NCCS to learn more about their resources www.theNCCS.org.
