Pediatric cancer experts sound alarm on the shortage of chemotherapy drugs for children. The shortage in drugs may force patients to make choices that are not easy. Doctors have been worried about the shortage crisis.
However, the Biden administration has been successfully able to address the shortage in the supply of two drugs for pediatric cancer. Doctors noted that the efforts to address the dwindling supplies have been helpful. Stating that the Biden administration was able to ease the shortage in supplies.
Reports for children’s drugs from across the country have suggested the problem with supply for two drugs- mainly, dacarbazine and vinblastine. These two drugs are commonly used to treat pediatric cancers.
The shortage in supply of the drug methotrexate has been continuing since March. The chemotherapeutic drug is still not available. The three drugs are used for various cancers, however, vinblastine and dacarbazine are usually used in pediatric cancers. Specifically Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the most common type of cancer in children.
The go-to cancer drug to treat lymphoblastic leukemia in children is Methotrexate. The issue with supply implies that doctors are left with less effective alternatives, or worse, delayed treatment.
Earlier this month, the Biden administration announced that the supply of cisplatin and carboplatin have returned to the pre-shortage levels. However, the two drugs were among the fifteen listed in shortage by the White House.
Hospitals around the country have noted a slightly better supply of cancer drugs, however the drugs for treating blood cancers are not looking up. Blood cancers such as lymphoma and leukemia are treated with vinblastine whose stock is dwindling.
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, is a group that tracks drug shortages. They recently noted that the supply for dacarbazine and vinblastine have been prominent from this month.
Heads of departments have noted that the shortage of preferred drugs have pushed doctors to opt for drugs such as vincristine.
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