Research Outcomes: Advancing Research to Improve Treatment
FDA Acts on Latest Childhood Cancer Drug Shortage
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Pediatric oncologists have depended on daunorubicin as a go-to treatment for kids with these leukemias for nearly 40 years. The fact that it has been difficult for many hospitals to obtain caused alarm bells to go off within the pediatric cancer community and sparked an inquiry from Congress to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Now, roughly two months after the FDA received a letter about the shortage of daunorubicin from Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), co-chairs of the Congressional Childhood Cancer Caucus, the agency has replied.
Pediatric Drug Shortage Crisis Ongoing

Please ask Congress to act now!
The pediatric drug shortage crisis is ongoing. Recent FDA actions are providing some short-term solutions but the crisis remains.
At an FDA briefing on February 21, 2012, Dr. Peter Adamson, Chair of the Children’s Oncology Group called upon policymakers to act swiftly on the drug shortage bills already introduced in Congress.
Mom Speaks Up on Drug Shortage

Thanks to you, children with leukemia and osteosarcoma are more optimistic about their future than they were a week ago.
A short term solution to a much larger problem is in place today as the FDA approved the import of methotrexate (MTX) from the Australian branch of Hospira, Inc. and approved an application from pharmaceutical company, APP, to begin manufacturing preservative-free MTX in the U.S.
UPDATE on Childhood Cancer Drug Shortage

The quick and unified action of the childhood cancer community — including thousands of messages to Congress from the St. Baldrick’s community — helped spur the immediate increase in production of methotrexate, a leading drug in the treatment of acute lymphoblstic leukemia (ALL), but the production increase of methotrexate is only a temporary solution – a drug shortage still looms for at least twelve drugs critical to the treatment of childhood cancer.
Childhood Cancer Drug Shortage

** TAKE ACTION NOW **
Children with cancer are facing a crisis – a drug shortage that could threaten thousands of lives. You can “Speak Up” and demand change. Methotrexate, the most-advanced and most-effective drug to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common form of childhood cancer, as well as other types of cancer, is in short supply.