KCTV 5FDA: 2 companies to ease cancer drug shortage

The FDA made a big ruling Tuesday to help ease concerns of cancer drug shortages around the country.

Cancer-fighting drugs have been in short supply across the country.

Officials at Children's Mercy Hospital said their shelves are stocked for a certain cancer drug known as methotrexate.

But in other cities, hospitals were down to as little as a two-week supply.

Tuesday, the FDA announced that it was approving two other companies to manufacture and supply generic versions of crucial cancer drugs such as methotrexate, a children's drug, and doxil, an ovarian and other cancer drug.

The news is big for families who were waiting and wondering about treatment.

Dr. Roy Jensen, Director of the University of Kansas Clinical Research Center spoke about the shortages. He said there are very few manufacturers in the U.S. making cancer-fighting drugs.

"There's probably five or six manufacturers for each drug out there right now. If there's any issue with any manufacturer that might cause it to be shut down, then there's an immediate 20 percent shortage in availability," he said.

Closing of manufacturers is what prompted the on-again-off-again shortage that began in 2008. At least 15 deaths have been blamed on shortages since then. But now, with this FDA ruling, more manufacturers will be able to produce cancer-fighting drugs.

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