There is some good news for children's hospitals across the country. There may not be a drug shortage after all for some cancer patients.
Yesterday, there were concerns that a life-saving treatment could run out in the next two weeks. The largest manufacturer of the drug methotrexate shut down its plant leading to shortage concerns. Now, other drug makers are stepping up production to make sure the drug is available for our kids.
"It’s a drug necessary for curative therapy," expresses the President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Michael Link says about 35-hundred children and young adults depend on methotrexate to cure their Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).
"We now cure almost 90-percent of children with this form of leukemia," recalls Link.
He says there is no substitute drug for methotrexate.
"There are workarounds, but we feel the workarounds would not be as effective as the use of methotrexate as we have it in our treatment programs," explains Link.
That’s because this form of the drug is made with no preservatives.
"We can't have preservatives in it because it would cause side effects that would be devastating," continues Link.
Link hopes this crisis has been averted, and that the patients who need methotrexate will have no problems getting it in the future.
Methotrexate is used to treat other illnesses as well as including Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis Lupus and Crohn's Disease.
About 30 Mississippi kids with leukemia are currently taking the drug to fight their cancer.
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