A severe shortage of a childhood cancer drug, could eventually impact Niswonger Children's Hospital in Johnson City. Pediatric pharmacists at the Johnson City facility say the drug is called Methotrexate and it's crucial. The reason: it's used to treat the most common childhood cancer, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
"It can be life or death at the beginning." Campbell Smith isn't your average ten year old.
She's had Acute Lymphoblastic Luekemia for more than a year now, with regular treatments involving Methotrexate.
Campbell says, "I had two every week and when I first started and then it went down to one a week and one a month and now one every two months."
Pediatric pharmacists say the drug is injected through a spinal tap, killing off cancer cells with a 90 percent success rate.
One of the leading manufacturers for Methotrexate has shut down factories, causing the drug to be in short supply nationwide.
Pediatric pharmacist Robin Mottern says, "As of today I have a patient coming in two weeks, for whom I am struggling to medication for." I don't have enough to take care of him when he arrives."
In spite of the shortage, a spokesperson for Niswonger Children's Hospital says they have not turned anyone away for treatment.
And today is a day of celebration for Campbell: her last appointment at Niswonger. "I'm kind of sad because I'm going to miss all the nurses but I'm still excited that I'm going to be cured from cancer."
Niswonger pharmacists say they are currently searching for a way to get more Methotrexate in time for the appointment in two weeks. But sources are raising prices, making it harder to get.
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