Provide names of other journalists involved.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: PATRICIA SHEVLIN SENIOR PRODUCER: MICHAEL SOLMSEN CORRESPONDENT: DR JONATHAN LAPOOK PRODUCER: AMY BURKHOLDER PRODUCER/EDITOR: MICHAEL CESARIO BROADCAST ASSOCIATE: LAUREN CIOFFI
List date(s) this work was published or aired.
MONDAY MAY 7, 2012
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
SYNOPSIS: LEGISLATION TO ALLEVIATE DRUG SHORTAGES, INCLUDING CRITICAL CANCER DRUGS FOR CHILDREN, LANGUISHED IN COMMITTEE ON CAPITOL HILL FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS. THE RUB: IT HAD SUPPORT FROM BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS, AND REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS. CBS NEWS POSED THE QUESTION TO SENATORS, HOUSE MEMBERS, AND THE CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP: WITH NO ONE OPPOSED, WHY CAN’T YOU GET THIS DONE? WITHIN WEEKS OF THE CBS NEWS REPORT AIRING, LEGISLATION WAS PASSED MANDATING DRUG COMPANIES WARN THE FDA OF PENDING DRUG SHORTAGES, INCLUDING THE CHILDRENS’ LEUKEMIA DRUG METHOTREXATE. MEMBERS OF THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY, INCLUDING CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA, THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR CANCER RESEARCH, AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS APPLAUDED CBS NEWS FOR BRINGING THE ISSUE SHARPLY INTO FOCUS, AND FACILITATING ACTION. LINK: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57429527/life-saving-cancer-drugs-for-children-stuck-in-federal-legislative-limbo/ THE STORY CAPPED OUR YEAR LONG REPORTING ON CANCER DRUG SHORTAGES. IN AUGUST, 2011, CBS REPORTED ON A 56 YEAR OLD WOMAN WITH LYMPHOMA, WHOSE FIRST-LINE DRUG, DOXIL, WAS RUNNING OUT AND SHE WOULD NEED TO BE PUT ON –WHAT HER DOCTORS FELT, WAS AN INFERIOR ALTERNATIVE WITH A LESS PROMISING OUTCOME. IN SEPTEMBER, 2011, CBS REPORTED MORE THAN 200 DRUGS WERE IN CRITICAL SHORT SUPPLY. THE FDA STATED IT IS DOING ALL IT CAN TO ALLEVIATE SHORTAGES, BUT ITS HANDS WERE TIED. WE REPORTED KEY REASONS: PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES CUTTING PRODUCTION OF GENERICS BECAUSE THEY’RE LESS PROFITABLE THAN BRAND NAMES, MANUFACTURING AND QUALITY CONTROL PROBLEMS, EVEN HOSPITAL HOARDING. IN FEBRUARY, 2012, WE MET 8 MONTH OLD ELENA SCHONEVELD, SUFFERING FROM ACUTE LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA. THE DRUG SHE NEEDED FOR A CURE — METHOTREXATE — WAS IN CRITICALLY LOW SUPPLY, AND HER CARE DEPENDED ON IT. CBS REPORTED A YEAR AGO, THE FIRST OF 3 CONGRESSIONAL BILLS WAS INTRODUCED TO GIVE THE FDA MORE POWER TO DEAL WITH THE DRUG SHORTAGE CRISIS; BUT EVEN WITH BICAMERAL, BIPARTISAN SUPPORT — NEITHER THE HOUSE OR SENATE HAD BROUGHT A BILL TO THE FLOOR. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57377020/28-cancer-medications-in-dangerously-short-supply/ THE VERY NEXT DAY, CBS INTERVIEWED SENATOR AMY KLOBUCHAR — WHO STATED LEGISLATION SHE’D INTRODUCED COULD HELP ALLEVIATE SHORTAGES — BUT LANGUISHED IN COMMITTEE.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
FDA DOCUMENTS CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY EXPRESS SCRIPTS ONCOLOGY DRUG TRENDS REPORT DATA FROM CDER (Center for Drug Evaluation and Research) IMS DRUG DATA AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION STATEMENTS: Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA) President Obama’s Executive Order, “Reducing Prescription Drug Shortages.”http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/10/31/executive-order-reducing-prescription-drug-shortages Amgen Media Advocacy | American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc.
Explain types of human sources used.
FOR OUR ENTRY PIECE, AIRING IN MAY 2012, AFTER AIRING A SERIES OF REPORTS ON DOXIL AND METHOTREXATE SHORTAGES – CBS FELT IT WAS TIME TO HOLD LEGISLATIONS — AND THE FDA — ACCOUNTABLE. . OVER 3 MONTHS, WE ARRANGED INTERVIEWS WITH FOUR HOUSE AND SENATE MEMBERS, BOTH PARTIES — AND MADE A SECOND TRIP TO PRESS THE LEADERSHIP. THE PIECE MADE CLEAR PATIENTS COULD NOT ACCEPT, “BUSINESS AS USUAL” AS AN EXCUSE. WITHIN A MONTH OF THE PIECE AIRING, LEGISLATION WAS PASSED THAT THE FDA NOW CREDITS WITH HELPING TO HEAD OFF, NEW SHORTAGES.
Results:
THE QUESTIONS WE POSED: HOW CAN LIFE-GIVING DRUGS – CAN SIMPLY RUN-OUT, INTERRUPTING PATIENT CARE, OR FORCE PATIENTS TO USE LESS EFFICACIOUS ALTERNATIVES? WHILE PRESIDENT OBAMA MADE ALLEVIATING DRUG SHORTAGES A PRIORITY, BIPARTISAN, BICAMERAL LEGISLATION THAT MANDATES PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES REPORT PENDING SHORTAGES TO FEDERAL REGULATORS CONTINUES TO LANGUISH IN COMMITTEE. THE GROUP OF REPUBLICANS, AND DEMOCRATS WE INTERVIEWED ALL AGREED THIS WAS A CRISIS — BUT DESPITE THEIR BEST EFFORTS — COULDN’T GET THEIR BILLS PASSED. DR LAPOOK ASKED QUESTIONS EVERY FAMILY TOUCHED BY CANCER WOULD ASK — WHAT ASSURANCES CAN YOU GIVE PATIENTS – INCLUDING, CANCER’S YOUNGEST VICTIMS – THOSE, WHOSE LIVES WILL BE SHAPED BY ACCESS TO CERTAIN DRUGS – THAT THEY’LL HAVE CONTINUED ACCESS TO CANCER MEDICATIONS? WITHIN A MONTH OF THE PIECE AIRING, LEGISLATION WAS PASSED THAT THE FDA NOW CREDITS WITH HELPING TO HEAD OFF, NEW SHORTAGES.
Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
NONE.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
THE PRESS OFTEN RAISES IMPORTANT QUESTIONS — THIS STORY GAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESS FOR A SOLUTION.