The WebMD article specifically mentions leukemia drugs. I provide massage therapy in a children's hospital, and many of the patients I see are fighting leukemia. Modern medicine has made enormous strides in the treatment of this childhood cancer. Some types of leukemia are largely curable with the right chemotherapy. Without it, these children will not beat their cancer and they will die. How can this be? In whose world is this acceptable?
In April last year, ABC News made a video about a shortage of cytarabine, a drug used to treat leukemia. Not having this drug means that people will die needlessly.
In June, ABC News published another video, about a Taxol shortage. I am alive today because my aggressive cancer was successfully treated in 2007 with Adriamycin, Cytoxan, Herceptin and Taxol. I was 45 years old, and my children were 7 and 9. Not having Taxol available has terrifying consequences. The speculation is that Taxol production has slowed because it is a generic drug, rendering the profit margin insignificant. A doctor on the video said, "this is not where the money is, so it does paint an unfavorable picture of the industry." Indeed.
Last week, an article was published on the Vancouver Sun about a Canadian company suspending production of numerous drugs, as it makes adjustments to bring the company into compliance with safety regulations. Why wasn't it meeting these in the first place? Profits?
Another problem is that drug companies have been under no obligation to report impending shortages to the Food and Drug Administration, so the FDA has not had the opportunity to try and prevent shortages.
Fortunately, last year President Obama signed into law legislation mandating that drug companies alert the FDA of impending shortages, so a solution can be found before lifesaving drugs become unavailable. Slowly, public awareness is growing and people are putting pressure on our lawmakers to address this problem proactively before it gets worse. Unfortunately, this does not address the needs of patients who are doing without right now.
As I approach the five-year anniversary of my diagnosis, I shudder to think what would happen to me if my cancer recurred and there was no Herceptin or Tykerb for me. I would probably die. This is the reality for many of today's cancer patients.
I hope no one you love is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness until the drug companies get their priorities straight.
Elizabeth Danu is a survivor of inflammatory breast cancer, celebrating five years on Feb. 22. She maintains a cancer resource blog at the Liberation of Persephone.
