by Amy Watson
NASHVILLE, Tenn.- There is a nationwide shortage of a leukemia fighting drug that could affect thousands of children battling cancer. Health experts say, worst case scenario, some children could relapse or die if hospitals run out.
Methotrexate is the key treatment for children with leukemia.
"Methotrexate is the gold standard for treatment of leukemia .They can treat and generally cure 90% of cases, so if you take that drug away you see that result would be devastating for that group of patients," said Dr. Michael O'Neal with Vanderbilt Children's Hospital.
There is a nationwide, critical shortage of methotrexate. A variety of reasons complicate the issue, including production problems at six manufacturers. The bottom line is some hospitals have a limited supply. Which means some children could relapse while others could die without it.
"This particular drug is of great concern because of specific population it treats and because there are people reporting they only have one or two week supplies on hand," said Dr. O'Neal.
The Monroe Carell Junior Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt has a stockpile in their pediatric oncology pharmacy and were in better shape than other healthcare providers. In fact on Thursday, administrators met with one of the makers of methotrexate in Nashville to talk about how to ease the crisis.
"We want to make sure everyone knows that we at Vanderbilt have really protected ourselves from an inventory standpoint, but we do understand there are pockets out there that don't have the drug or access to the drug," he said
Vanderbilt believes it has enough supply, but anytime there is a drug shortage of this magnitude doctors say seeing its impact on families is the most devastating.
U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander and three of his colleagues sent a letter to the president of the main drug maker on Friday, demanding answers and requesting an immediate solution.
email: awatson@newschannel5.com
