July 9, 2021 (Tampa, Florida) -
Breaking News on Ending Life-Saving Drug Shortages!
Angels for Change, a Tampa-based, national volunteer run non-profit organization with a goal to end life-saving drug shortages is proud to announce two new breakthroughs in the fight to make sure no pediatric oncology patient is left behind.
The FDA has announced coordination with Porton Biopharma Limited (PBL) to make the non-FDA licensed Erwinase (crisantapase) produced by Clinigen available in the United States. At the same time, Jazz Pharmaceuticals has just received FDA authorization for a new erwinia-based asparaginase.
This creates two supply sources in the marketplace for patients undergoing cancer treatment who have an anaphylactic reaction to pegasparaginase.
Angels for Change has been an advocate for pediatric cancer patients at risk of not getting life-saving drugs. In the last 15 months Angels for Change has helped more than 20 patients whose treatment was delayed because of this drug shortage.
To shine a light on drug shortages and their impact, AFC has created a “Warrior” video with first-person accounts of the journey of pediatric cancer patients and their families, that represents Angels for Change’s patient advocacy.
Since its founding in 2019 AFC has taken a leadership role in advocating for being proactive rather than reactive in ending drug shortages. They have convened Summits which brought together key stakeholders in drug manufacturing and supply chain industry to put the individual patient at the center of the conversation on the impact of drug shortages.
Angels for Change is hopeful that with two drugs in supply, erwinia-based asparaginase will be completely removed from the drug shortage list. This redundancy will also give patients and doctors a choice of drugs and will ensure that no patient will ever have to hear, and no doctor will ever have to say, “we don’t have the drug you need.”
“We would like to thank all of our Champions who have not only helped patients get the drugs they need thus far, but who are also involved in proactively ending this shortage: Clinagen, Jazz, the FDA, and McKesson,” said Angels for Change CEO, Laura Bray.
She added, “Access-based decision making must be eradicated. Treatment plans should be driven by efficacy, science, and doctor/patient decisions, not by businesses.”
Patients and doctors who are having trouble accessing these drugs, or patients who have been put on hold or missing doses, can contact Angels for Change www.angelsforchange.org for support.
Angels for Change is a volunteer-run organization on a mission to drive change, through advocacy and awareness, of the life-saving drug shortage crisis. We are passionate about building support and awareness to create solutions that will provide equal drug access to patients in need. Our focus is to advocate on behalf of any patient in a drug shortage and build relationships with patients and members of the pharmaceutical supply chain to end all healthcare crises created by drug shortages.
Press Contacts:
Laura Bray, Angels for Change Chief Changemaker: LauraBray@AngelsforChange.org
Diane Masiello, Angels for Change Communications Director: diadems@verizon.net