Faced with a drug shortfall, doctors scramble to treat children with cancer

New York Times

14 October 2019 - A critical chemotherapy medication is in short supply, and physicians say there is no appropriate substitute.

A critical drug that serves as the backbone of treatment for most childhood cancers, including leukemias, lymphomas and brain tumours, has become increasingly scarce, and doctors are warning that they may soon be forced to consider rationing doses.

Persistent shortages of certain drugs and medical supplies have plagued the United States for years, but physicians say the loss of this medication, vincristine, is uniquely problematic, as there is no appropriate substitute.

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Michael Wonder

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Michael Wonder

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Cancer , Medicine , US , Paediatrics , Supply