From Alexandra Robbins for Washingtonian Magazine, the story of a critical shortage of nutrients needed to keep children born prematurely alive. An excerpt from the article: “Doctors and pharmacists say that because of nationwide shortages caused by a combination of factors – manufacturing problems, a market with few incentives for companies to produce low-profit drugs, and the government’s delayed and inadequate action – thousands of patients are being malnourished…
“Tens of thousands of patients rely on IV nutrition at home, where home health care companies send them supplies… ‘You just kind of have to pray,’ says Kristina Colmer, a mother in Midland, Maryland, whose three year old daughter Paige has been on PN [parenteral nutrition] since birth. ‘PN is what keeps her alive, so these shortages are terrifying us.’ The family’s home health care company hasn’t been able to get zinc, phosphorous, or calcium, and Paige hasn’t received IV pediatric multivitamins in more than a year.”
Photo of 3 year old Paige Colmer, courtesy of Kristina Colmer.