Jackson- A drug used to treat cancer-stricken children is running out.
The drug is called methotrexate and is used for fight a certain type of childhood leukemia. The FDA estimates hospitals will run out of the drug in about two weeks. They blame the shortage on a manufacturing plant closing down. More than 3,000 children nationwide use the drug, which has a 90% cure rate.
Hospitals are wasting no time with their back-up plans. Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children in Jackson says they have a supply that should last them at least a month. They treat about 30 children with the drug. Doctors says so far it has not posed a problem for its patients. But they are making plans to use other drugs in case they run out of methotrexate. However, those drugs are not as effective as methotrexate.
Doctors say they don't want parents to worry. If changes are needed to a child's treatment program, they will call the parents individually and bring them in for a face to face meeting to discuss a new plan.
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