MACON, Ga. — Children fighting for their lives against cancer now have to worry that they won't get their treatment.
This summer, pharmaceutical company Teva stopped producing a valuable drug for children with cancer. The shutdown caused shortages nationwide.
Now, one Central Georgia family is worried their child may not get the medicine they desperately rely on.
"Oh, that's good," says Hailey Allen, a mom encouraging her 17-month-old child with stage 4 sarcoma.
Chemotherapy rounds of the drug Vincristine are vital to her battle against cancer.
Allen says, "If she doesn't get her chemotherapy the way that it's outlined, then we don't really stand a chance to beat it."
'A 20% chance of survival' -- the words Allen heard from doctors during her daughter's diagnosis.
Now, the nation faces a shortage on Vincristine, the only drug used to treat many childhood cancers.
Allen says, "You're poisoning your child to save their life, and here we find ourselves begging for that poison that we had such a qualms with giving our daughter."
Allen's daughter is on her 17th round of chemo, with many more to go.
So far, doctors haven't cut back on her dosage, but the fear of the possibility churns in Allen's mind.
Allen says, "Moms are terrified." She explains, "What that means for the children that had to miss doses, only time will tell, but for our daughter, I know that it was her chance between living and possibly dying."
Teva says they stopped production of the drug due to a "business decision."
Allen says, "When do enough children pass away that they're important enough to invest in their futures?"
Pfizer is now the sole supplier of Vincristine, but they experienced a manufacturing delay at the beginning of October.
Through this shortage, Allen wants to fight for her daughter and other children whose lives depend on this drug.
Allen explains, "To go to DC if I have to, or to talk to every news outlet out there until we've made enough noise that legislation changes how they do things."
In a statement, Navicent Health leaders said they are working with partners to ensure they have adequate supplies, and that they use them "in the most appropriate manner."
About a week ago, Teva said in a statement, "with the data that was available," there was no indication of a possible shortage when they decided to leave the market.
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