2/17/12 A shortage of an injectable version of the drug methotrexate has been all over the news lately, sparking outrage and concern on behalf of children with a certain type of leukemia who can’t get their life-saving medication. But some people who have inflammatory types of arthritis and rely on the drug to keep their disease under control are also concerned about access to methotrexate.
“For the most part, this should be a manageable situation for arthritis patients,” says Donald Miller, PharmD, a professor of pharmacy practice at North Dakota State University, in Fargo. That’s because the majority of people with arthritis who take methotrexate – which is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus and certain types of juvenile arthritis – use the pill form. There is no shortage of that right now.
The root of the problem lies with the preservative-free, injectable form of methotrexate. Very high doses of it are used to treat pediatric cancer patients, and that is the form of the medication that is running dangerously low.
And now that shortage is increasing demand on other, injectable forms of methotrexate. “When you get shortages with even one product, it does have a ripple effect on everything else,” Miller says.
In this case, the form of injectable methotrexate with preservatives is being affected. It is used by arthritis patients (at much lower doses than cancer patients) when methotrexate pills don’t provide enough relief or cause unpleasant side effects. Some people may still be able to fill their prescriptions for injectable methotrexate at certain locations. For those who can’t, there are other options that may work for them until the shortage is resolved – which could be within two weeks, federal health officials said Thursday.
The shortage developed after one of the major suppliers of the preservative-free injectable medication, Ben Venue Laboratories, shut down an Ohio plant in November because of manufacturing problems identified during inspections by the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, and other global regulatory agencies. Manufacturers of the type with preservatives are now reporting shortages due to increased demand.
In response to growing concerns that the medication shortage will worsen, the FDA said that Ben Venue will now release its emergency supplies of the injectable, which were produced before the shutdown, and two other manufacturers will step up production.
Please read my comment about Neurotin because it may help you also. I am so sorry you are still suffering and would like to share what's helping me. I feel lucky after reading your comments. I take 7 Methotrexate pills per week and have no problems. I also did the injections but hated giving them to myself and asked to go back on the pills. I am also on Humira 40mg. injections and feel pretty good but had to have Morton Neuroma surgery(removal of nerve) in my foot. I just wanted to share that my primary care provider just gave me a prescription for Nuerotin 300mg. to take just once a day at bedtime for pain that I still had from having the nerve taken out of my foot and not being able to sleep at night. It has helped me with a lot of my body pain. My doctor thought since I've had pain for over 5 years that it's programed in my head and that this medicine can help redirect my brain to not have this pain. It's a very low dose and has helped with sleeping and the pain. It was developed for seizures but didn't work well but worked for people with fibromialgia, menopause, RA and many other ailments pertaining to problems with sleeping and/or pain. Google the medication and read about the good comments people are blogging about it. I've been on it for a week and feel much better.
Unfortunately there are far too many children who depend on injectable version to survive, along with many adults who can't take the oral and need the injectable version just to be able to function and be relatively pain free. I know I wouldn't be able to function without my prescription.
My heart goes out to all those who need this medication and either are not able to find it, or have the funds to purchase it.
I feel sorry for those that are affected by this shortage. On top of their illness & pain,they will have to deal with LOCATING their medication.
I do have a suggestion if they have to take the oral MTX.
I did have various side effects at the beginning of my treatment. I did as many suggested to take it at night, well I did but I took it after my dinner. Now I take my 7 little pills with my dinner. The trick is that I eat a few bites, take the pills and then finish my meal. Seems to work for me.
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