Four things to know:
1. The drug, intravenous immunoglobulin, is administered to patients with hypogammaglobulinemia, a disorder that prevents the body from fighting infections. The drug gives patients the antibodies necessary to reduce their infection risk.
2. The shortage of intravenous immunoglobulin is multifaceted, but one major problem stems from a lack of plasma donations. There are not enough people donating to maintain a high quantity of the drug, according to the report.
3. “Recently there has been a very dramatic shortage, and it has gotten worse,” Mark Jarrett, MD, senior vice president and chief quality officer for the Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, N.Y., told Newsday.
4. Dr. Jarrett said that while the shortage of plasma donations may one cause the problem, the medication also is in higher demand. Its use has expanded to treating autoimmune diseases and helping transplant patients.
Read the full report here.
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