Letter to the Hon. Alex Azar, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Service - Axne Seeks Answers on Pediatric Cancer Drug Shortage in Bipartisan Letter

Letter

U.S. Representatives Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) and Cindy Axne (D-IA) sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today alongside 10 of their colleagues to address the critical shortage of vincristine, an essential anti-cancer chemotherapy drug for pediatric cancer treatments. According to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports, the United States faces a critical shortage of the drug due to a production delay at its only current manufacturer, threatening the availability of treatments for children with cancer until January 2020.

"Since the FDA announced the vincristine shortage on October 16, 2019, we have heard from parents of children currently fighting cancer who worry for the health of their child and other children due to the vincristine shortage. Without an adequate supply of vincristine, the treatment of countless children may have to be delayed or stopped altogether. This is not acceptable for the families of children that are fighting for their lives every day," the members said in the letter.

Since being approved by the (FDA) in 1963, vincristine has been indispensable in treating numerous childhood cancers such as leukemias, lymphomas and brain tumors. This year one of only two companies making the drug, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., ceased production while the other, Pfizer, experienced a delay in keeping up with supply. The joint effect triggered a critical shortage estimated to last until December 2019 or January 2020. While Teva has reversed course following a national outcry and will make its version of vincristine available again next year, concerns remain that future drug shortages could mean missed or reduced treatments for patients across the United States. This letter asks HHS to evaluate their response to the drug shortage of vincristine and steps the agency is taking to prevent future shortages of life-saving drugs.