Potential Coronavirus Treatment Could Lead To Shortage Of Drug For Lupus Patients
SUTTON (CBS) -- President Trump has been dropping the names of several medications being tested to treat COVID-19. But one of them -- hydroxychloroquine -- is commonly used to treat lupus symptoms. With new recognition of the drug, lupus patients are worried they may lose access to a drug they rely on.
When Cheryl Hamel, a lupus patient from Sutton, called her pharmacy Sunday morning to get the medication she takes to manage her lupus symptoms, she was surprised by what the pharmacist told her.
"They told me it was too soon to get it refilled, and what they had at the moment was being saved for COVID patients. And they said there is a shortage due to manufacturing," she said.
Hamel is now worried that her pharmacy will no longer release the drug to her despite the fact that she's taken the drug regularly for a long time.
"I thought that, of course, patients who are on ventilators in the ICU, of course they are the top priority," she said. "But it made me feel like 'Okay, it's not toilet paper were hoarding anymore. It's medications."
If manufacturing of the drug is not ramped up to meet demand, Hamel said, she's afraid patients like her will simply have to go without. That could have a very negative impact on her life.
"The hydroxychloroquine was a real game changer in terms of managing my symptoms of the lupus," she said. "So without it, the other options are immunosuppression with steroids or low dose chemotherapy, both of which would put you in an immune compromised condition."
Becoming immune compromised could put Hamel at greater risk of contracting and having serious complications from COVID-19.
She said she wishes the Trump administration had done more to make sure the drug was manufactured enough to be available to all before publicizing it.
"It's really just a ripple effect that they didn't think ahead before naming the medication," she said.
Secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders said Monday that hospitals are not currently experiencing shortages of medications.
"I have weekly calls with the hospitals. At this point they have not identified critical shortages in pharmaceuticals," she said. "It's one we're obviously monitoring very very closely, and if we needed to take steps with the Board of Pharmacy we would. But we're not seeing that at this moment."
Hamel said she hopes people are thoughtful about the medications they use and how much of it they take, and realize that the virus is affecting everyone.
"I think that we are all in this together, and you might be at home thinking 'It's not affecting me. I don't have to worry about it. And you would be amazed at that ripple effect of how it can affect you. Even though you can't see it today, it's it's everywhere."
