CHARLOTTE — Sherie Pearsall, a veteran police officer and lupus awareness advocate, has lupus and relies heavily on hydroxychloroquine.
“For most of us, it is something that is keeping us at a functioning level,” she told Action 9's Jason Stoogenke.
President Donald Trump tweeted the medicine treats COVID-19, calling it a “game-changer,” but there’s very little proof to support that and the FDA hasn’t approved the drug for that purpose.
The North Carolina Board of Pharmacy later issued an emergency rule putting the medicine on its restricted drug list.
A pharmacist can only fill it if the patient has a doctor’s note saying they need it for a certain illness or disease.
Even so, it appears some people who don’t have lupus are stocking up on the drug now, which is making it harder for lupus patients to find it.
"Just make sure that the medicine, as long as it is available to everyone,” Pearsall said. “I want to make sure that there’s not a gap for those that actually need it.”
Jesse Pike owns Pike’s Pharmacy in east Charlotte and he told Stoogenke he has enough of the medicine to go around.
But he said he checked with his supplier, which is one of the biggest in the country, and that it was out of stock.
“You can think about it just like toilet paper. We have enough. Each individual needs only so much,” he said. "When we get greedy and we want it all for ourselves, we’re not thinking about our nextdoor neighbor.”
Stoogenke also checked with bigger pharmacies.
[ Local virtual learning resources across NC, SC for students at home ]
CVS said in a statement:
"We are closely monitoring the global pharmaceutical manufacturing environment and working with our suppliers to ensure we can continue filling prescriptions for our pharmacy patients and plan members.
“For hydroxycholorquine, specifically, we have adequate supply on-hand and are taking all necessary steps to remain in-stock."
Walgreens said in a statement:
“Anti-malarial drugs, like chloroquine, are available by prescription only; however, these medicines are not yet FDA approved for COVID-19 prevention or treatment. We will continue to work with our manufacturers and suppliers to ensure we can meet the prescription needs of our patients. There are no approved treatments or vaccines for COVID-19. We recommend our customers and communities continue to focus on preventive measures as recommended by the CDC which include thorough handwashing and practicing social distancing.”
For additional information visit this webpage.
Jenny Prince is CEO of the N.C. Lupus Foundation said there are an estimated 53,000 people in the state who have lupus. She told Stoogenke about one in the eastern part of the state already had trouble finding the medicine.
"(She) couldn’t find it within an hour radius at different pharmacies and her father was able to find it in the Greensboro area and mail to her.”
The Foundation sent letters to drug companies and Congress, urging them to make sure patients with lupus have access to the medication.
This browser does not support the video element.