A medication shortage for folks suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis has some local patients terrified.
The drug is called Enbrel.
And for many, it determines whether they can get out of bed in the morning.
News Specialist Jill Atwood has the story.
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More Info
- Doug Petkus
610-902-7336
- Wyeth Pharmaceutical
Hotline: 1-800-934-5556
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Patients were initially told there would be a delay in filling their prescriptions but weren't told why.
They sat on hold waiting for customer service agents for minutes on end, and then weren't really able to get any straight answers. But we managed to get a few.
Kim Asay is moving slower today than she normally would. She's out of a medication she relies on twice a week to battle her rheumatoid arthritis, and isn't quite sure when her prescription will be filled again.
Kim Asay/Enbrel Patient: WHEN YOU PLAY AROUND WITH THE DOSAGE OF A MEDICINE THAT YOU DEPEND ON TO FUNCTION AND TO MOVE, YOU'RE PLAYING AROUND WITH A PERSON'S LIVLIHOOD. YOU ARE PLAYING AROUND WITH A PERSON'S DAY TO DAY ABILITY TO FUNCTION.
Enbrel was approved by the FDA back in 1998, and since then has grown in popularity. Many sufferers of this dibilitating disease have tried everything in the past. But Enbrel is the only medication that seems to work.
Last month Asay received this letter from the manufacturer, which read patients ordering Enbrel during April, and May may experience a delay in getting their prescription filled. This delay my range from several days to a few weeks.
That can feel like a lifetime to someone with rheumatoid arthritis.
I CAN ALREADY TELL I'VE HAD A DECREASE IN MY EXERCISE. MY SLEEP PATTERN HAS CHANGED. I'M NOT GETTING AS MUCH SLEEP AS I USED TO. MY HANDS ARE SWOLLEN AGAIN AND VERY TENDER.
To get an explanation, we made several calls to the manufacturer, and were finally connected to the right person, who provided a very simple explanation.
Doug Petkus, of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, says because of Enbrel's successful clinical performance, unanticipated demand is overwhelming supply. They are working around the clock to increase its availability, and ask customers to be patient.
A new manufacturing facility is under construction to prevent any future delays or interruptions.
They are making special exceptions for the more extreme cases.
The big challange with this siutation is communicating with the right people.
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has made an ombudsman available. His contact number and a hotline number are in the box above.
April 30, 2002
