Drugs and Deals: Supporters and Drug Save Seven Year Old Child

USA Today

TALLAHASSEE, FL- Josh Hardy, a four-time cancer survivor from Virginia, is suffering from an adenovirus infection. Within a few days, with the use of social media, his family gained media attention and support. The group took action to get him a drug that could potentially save his life.

American Childhood Cancer Organization

In an interview with Channel 3, Hardy’s mother began sobbing when she found out that her son would be treated with the new drug. "We're trying to save our son," Josh's dad, Todd Hardy, said.

Chimerix, a small North Carolina company, produces the drug Brincidofovir, and hundreds of requests were turned down for the drug. However, after thousands of emails and contacts enforcing the company to give Josh the drug, they gave in. Doctors, however, speculated whether or not they should give Josh the drug.

St. Jude Hospital stated,"This drug is experimental and has not yet been approved by the FDA, and the safety and effectiveness of the medication has not yet been established for use in children."

Florida A&M University alumnus and Research Associate of the College of Pharmacy, Dr. Tracy Womble commented on the Josh Hardy story.

Dr. Womble is not directly familiar with the drug Brincidifovir, however there are certain drugs that are very similar to it.

With his 11 year experience he stated that some of the concerns doctors would have are side effects that would come with the drug Brincidifovir. He states that another aspect to take into consideration is his age.

Throughout the year he read about patients petitioning drug companies, but he states the general public is unaware of upcoming drugs. Most drug companies do not make future drugs common knowledge. One reason doctors would know about this drug is because of research. “It’s no doubt that someone told the family about this drug,” Womble said.

He said a lawsuit does not carry more weight than a person’s life, but using a drug that has not been approved by the FDA is something that the doctor would have to be concerned with. “Let’s say the drug has some unknown side effects, the doctor may be liable. That is just something that each individual doctor would have to make a call on,” Womble said.

Medical ethicist Arthur Caplan, a professor at New York University Langone Medical Center, says,“I have huge sympathy for the family. I think they are right to try and see what they can get for their child."

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This drug is said to fight off his viral infection that developed after his bone marrow transplant; after two weeks of Josh receiving the lifesaving drug, he moved out of the intensive care unit.

Todd Hardy said, "He wants to drink whatever he wants, he wants to be able to walk by himself and he wants to get out of the hospital."
On March 31st Josh will celebrate his eighth birthday.