A degenerative disease that makes the muscles weaker and weaker and for which there is no cure that can stop this ‘attack’ but only therapy with the immunoglobulins which can help patients resist. In recent months, however, the shortage of blood donorspartly because of the pandemiccaused a shortage. To tell the story of him, on the occasion of the
World blood donor day
, is Claudio Salvitti, 58 years old from Rome, treated at the Nemo Clinical Center of the Gemelli Polyclinic. “Since 2016 I discovered that I have myositis from inclusion bodies, a very rare incurable autoimmune disease – he explains to Ruetir Health – that degrades muscle fibers. I have 100% disability and only with immunoglobulins, therapy with Ig Vein of the company Kedrion, I can stand up for a while with the walker. If, as is happening now, this drug is deficient I don’t know just how I will do it. I can’t raise my arms and my wife has to feed me“.
Claudio needs a course of therapy every month, which he does in day-hospital, and the hospital has been warned that “at the moment there will be no therapy” next month. The reason? “There is a shortage, also reported on the Aifa (Italian Medicines Agency) website, of this therapy due to the shortage of blood donors which has been amplified with the Covid pandemic “. Now the hope of Claudio and dozens of patients like him who are assisted by Gemelli is hanging by a thread.” In our patient chat we talk about nothing else – he remarks – we are worried , we are told that generics of this drug are also deficient. Surely there will also be problems in August. I appeal to the Minister of Health and AIFA to find a solution, for us this therapy is truly life-saving. But above all also to those who can donate blood: do it! “.
On the Aifa website in the deficient drugs page Ig Vena di Kedrion, human normal immunoglobulin, is indicated as deficient “due to high demand and discontinuous supplies”. A problem that – indicates the report – should last until the end of 2022.
