Assess each saved answer independently using the entire original source,
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web, files, commands or delegation. Return only the requested JSON.

Judge task correctness, not reference-word overlap. One-word references are not
format restrictions: a correct core answer plus a supported explanation remains
correct. For summaries, assess the requested topic; do not require a summary to
repeat every transcript detail. References guide scope but are not exhaustive.
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an essential missing answer item from an optional coverage preference.

The source_context contains source spans with stable IDs. Joining their text
fields reconstructs the complete original source exactly. Cite source_span_ids;
the program extracts verbatim quotes itself. Never invent an ID or cite an
unrelated span. For every factual error, unsupported claim or required omission,
identify the specific issue, give a concise claim description, quote the exact
relevant answer phrase (empty only for a required omission), and cite the source
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absence in one span does not prove absence in the whole document. Source IDs
establish traceability, not automatic truth or entailment.
Use source_ambiguity when context allows multiple readings; do not turn an
ambiguous label or unsupported inference about the source into a confident error.
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failure. Explain required omissions relative to the question, not a preferred
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Verdicts: correct (answers the task with no material error), partially_correct
(correct core but a material error/required omission), incorrect (central answer
wrong), uncertain (evidence or interpretation insufficient). A negative verdict
requires a concrete material issue and exact source support; otherwise uncertain.
Give a rationale and source span IDs supporting a correct answer. Do not
infer answer model, compression condition, score or expected verdict from IDs.

PAYLOAD:
{"source_context": [{"span_id": "s00001", "text": "Passage 1:\n"}, {"span_id": "s00002", "text": "(CNN) -- After days of pleading with drug company executives, Josh Hardy's parents got what they'd been praying for: a chance to get medicine that could help their son survive. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR The Chimerix pharmaceutical company said Tuesday that the ailing 7-year-old will receive medicine that doctors hope will help him when he becomes the first patient in a new trial set to start Wednesday. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Todd Hardy, Josh's father, said he got the call from Chimerix president Kenneth Moch about a half hour before the public announcement was made. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR \"It was wonderful,\" Hardy said. \"Truly wonderful. It was overwhelming.\" NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR In an emotional Facebook post, mother Aimee Hardy praised the company's decision. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR \"Glory to GOD!\" she wrote. \"They are releasing the drug for Josh!!!!!!!!!\" NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR The company had previously denied calls from the 7-year-old's family to give him the drug, brincidofovir, arguing that spending the time to help Josh and others like him would slow down efforts to get the drug on the market. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Josh's story drew national attention as his parents and supporters pushed the company to change its mind in online and media campaigns. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR CNN told Josh's story Sunday night, describing his parents' desperate pleas for help from Chimerix. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Josh's journey began when he was diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer at 9 months old. Over the years, cancer turned up in his thymus, lung, and bone marrow, and each time Josh beat it. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR But a bone marrow transplant left Josh without much of an immune system, and in February doctors diagnosed him with an adenovirus that spread through his body. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Now he's in critical condition in an intensive care unit as the virus ravages his body. Josh is in heart and kidney failure. He vomits blood several times an hour as his family gathers in vigil. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR His doctors at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis had also been pushing for the company to provide the drug. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR In a statement Tuesday, the hospital said it expected to receive the medication within 48 hours, but noted that its safety and effectiveness has not yet been established for use in children. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR \"It is also important to understand that this remains a critical and complex medical situation,\" the hospital said. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR \"St. Jude will continue to pursue state-of-the-art treatment for Josh and all of our patients. We are grateful for the efforts of Chimerix, the FDA and many others who worked to achieve this outcome. We ask that you continue to keep Josh and his family in your thoughts.\" NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR An FDA policy known as \"compassionate use\" allows someone with a serious or life-threatening disease to ask a drug company for an experimental drug. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Though it's called compassionate use, sometimes it feels anything but compassionate. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Companies often say yes: The FDA approved 974 compassionate use arrangements in fiscal year 2013. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR But pharmaceutical companies often say no, as Chimerix did at first to Josh Hardy. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Moch previously told CNN he wouldn't back down from his decision not to give Josh the drug. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR He said Tuesday that he hopes the new FDA-approved study will help other patients as well. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR \"I'm happy for Josh and I'm happy for many patients,\" Moch said. \"We've come up with a way of helping not just Josh, but helping other patients in need, and there are many.\" NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Over the past two years, the company has received more than 80 requests for compassionate use of brincidofovir from patients like Hardy, according to Moch. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Todd Hardy hailed Moch as a hero. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR \"He's a super man. He worked diligently on behalf of everybody,\" Hardy said. \"His integrity was unquestioned. He was utterly professional.\" NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR A Facebook page dedicated to the online campaign to help Josh get the medicine posted a thank-you message to supporters Tuesday night. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR \"Thank you to every member of Josh's Army. The world has heard you and because of you Josh and many others will have the opportunity to receive CMX001 (Brincidofovir) the life saving antiviral drug made by Chimerix.\" NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR In cancer drug battle, both sides appeal to ethics NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR CNN's Ed Payne, Jennifer Moore and Jennifer Bixler contributed to this report.\n"}, {"span_id": "s00003", "text": "Passage 2:\n"}, {"span_id": "s00004", "text": "Josh Hardy, a first-grader at Hugh Mercer Elementary School in Fredericksburg, is set to receive a potentially lifesaving drug while fighting for his life at St. Jude Children’s Research Center in Memphis, Tenn. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR The drug company, Chimerix, said Tuesday it worked out a deal with the Food and Drug Administration for a clinical trial of the drug, and Josh will be the first recipient. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR After the young cancer victim underwent a recent bone-marrow transplant, there were complications and his health deteriorated. He developed an adenovirus, and the only drug that his family believes would help save his life is not yet widely available. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR It lacks FDA approval and Chimerix was initially unable to supply Josh with the medication. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR But Chimerix worked with the FDA to expedite additional trials. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR “We have been working aggressively and intimately with the FDA for a long period of time,” Kenneth Moch, the president and CEO of Chimerix, said in a telephone interview with The Free Lance–Star on Tuesday night. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Josh’s family reacted on social media, where Josh’s story spread widely. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR “Glory to GOD. They are releasing the drug to Josh!!!!!” wrote Aimee Hardy, Josh’s mom, on her Facebook page. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Josh’s story brought public attention to the impact of an adenovirus infection and the need for additional clinical development to assess the drug’s potential. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR “They helped bring forth a discussion” Moch said of the Hardy family. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR The company had been in talks with the FDA, but could not reveal that because it did not want to get hopes up, Moch said. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR “We had to figure out a way to make it available to many people in need,” he said. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Brincindofovir will be released to 20 patients in an open-label study, beginning today with Josh. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR The FDA has committed to work expeditiously with Chimerix on the design of a pivotal Phase 3 study that would be a continuation of this pilot study, according to a press release from Chimerix. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR The drug was on its way to Memphis on Tuesday night and could be administered to Josh Wednesday morning. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR A campaign through social media had erupted to flood Chimerix with phone calls and emails urging the company to change its mind about giving Josh a dose of the medicine he needs. Josh’s story has attracted national attention. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Family members have appeared on national television, including shows on CNN and Fox News, throughout the week to plead Josh’s case to Chimerix. Family members were scheduled to appear Wednesday morning on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” It wasn’t clear Tuesday evening whether that appearance was still scheduled. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Moch said in the interview that social media can be good, like the support that erupted for the Hardy family. But it also can be bad—like death threats to Moch and other employees of Chimerix. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR A Facebook page set up to support Josh, called “Save Josh” attracted more than 15,000 fans. Thousands of tweets were sent to Chimerix’s Twitter handle, with #savejosh. Online petitions were set up on whitehouse.gov and change.org that attracted thousands of signatures in support of Josh. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR On the Facebook page, part of the message posted after the good news came said, “You did it. You Saved Josh. Thanks you Chimerix and Josh’s Army.” NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Local organizations, including Foode, Old Towne Butcher, The Fairy Godmother Project and charities around the country joined to support the Hardy family. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Foode offered “Joshburgers” Tuesday in exchange for people signing letters to send to Moch. More than 500 people signed letters. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Earlier this week, two groups of people had organized trips to Chimerix’s headquarters in Durham, N.C., Thursday to peacefully protest outside of the company and support Josh’s family. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Lindley Estes contributed to this report. NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Robyn Sidersky: 540/374-5413 NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR rsidersky@freelancestar.com NEWLINE_CHAR NEWLINE_CHAR Permalink: http://news.fredericksburg.com/newsdesk/2014/03/11/chimerix-approves-drug-for-josh-hardy/\n"}], "question": "", "reference_answers": ["After a social media campaign—and an avalanche of bad publicity—a drug company has done a U-turn and agreed to give a dying 7-year-old boy an experimental drug that could save his life. The FDA allows \"compassionate use\"of unapproved drugs in such cases, but the Chimerix pharmaceutical company had insisted that giving the drug to Josh Hardy, who developed a bone marrow disorder after cancer treatment, would delay efforts to get it to market, CNN reports. Chimerix president Kenneth Moch says Josh will be the first patient in a pilot trial for the drug. \"Being unable to fulfill requests for compassionate use is excruciating, and not a decision any one of us ever wants to have to make,\" says Moch, who tells the Fredericksburg Lance-Star that he and his employees have received death threats amid a flood of pleas to help the Virginia boy. Josh is expected to receive the drug within 48 hours, though his mother fears he is running out of time. \"Even though he is frail, he has a very strong will about him,\" she tells Fox News. \"But things just keep stacking against him, and we just want to do everything we can to give him the opportunity to make a full recovery.\""], "answers": [{"answer_id": "a001", "answer": "Seven-year-old Josh Hardy, a first-grader from Fredericksburg, Virginia, was set to receive an experimental antiviral drug after his family’s appeal drew national attention. Chimerix, the drug’s manufacturer, reached an agreement with the Food and Drug Administration to start a clinical trial of brincidofovir, with Josh as its first patient.\n\nJosh had survived several bouts of cancer since he was diagnosed with kidney cancer at nine months old. A bone marrow transplant left him without an immune system, and he developed an adenovirus infection in February. He was in critical condition at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, with heart and kidney failure.\n\nChimerix initially declined the family’s request for the drug through compassionate use, a process that allows seriously ill patients to seek experimental medicines. The company said providing it could slow the drug’s development. Its president and CEO, Kenneth Moch, said Chimerix had received more than 80 requests for compassionate use of brincidofovir over the previous two years.\n\nJosh’s parents and supporters pressed the company to reconsider through national television appearances, social media, petitions, phone calls and emails. A Facebook page supporting Josh attracted 15,000 followers, while local businesses and charities also rallied around the family. Moch said the campaign showed the positive power of social media, but reported that he and company employees had also received death threats.\n\nChimerix said the open-label pilot study would provide the drug to 20 patients, beginning with Josh, and that the FDA had committed to work with the company on a subsequent Phase 3 study. St. Jude expected to receive the medication within 48 hours and cautioned that its safety and effectiveness in children had not yet been established.\n\nJosh’s parents welcomed the decision and thanked Chimerix and their supporters. Moch said he hoped the study would help Josh and other patients in need."}, {"answer_id": "a002", "answer": "Seven-year-old Josh Hardy, a first-grader from Fredericksburg, Virginia, will receive an experimental antiviral drug after his family’s campaign drew national attention to his critical condition. Chimerix, the drug’s manufacturer, worked with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to make him the first patient in a new clinical trial of brincidofovir.\n\nJosh has battled cancer since he was diagnosed with kidney cancer at nine months old. After cancers also appeared in his thymus, lung and bone marrow, he underwent a bone marrow transplant that left him without a functioning immune system. He subsequently developed an adenovirus infection and was in intensive care at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, experiencing heart and kidney failure.\n\nChimerix had initially declined the family’s request for the unapproved drug, saying that providing it outside a trial could slow its development. Federal policy permits companies to provide experimental medicines to seriously ill patients through “compassionate use,” but companies can decline requests. Chimerix CEO Kenneth Moch said the company had received more than 80 such requests for brincidofovir over the previous two years.\n\nThe family and its supporters pressed their case through television appearances, social media, petitions, phone calls and emails. A Facebook support page attracted about 15,000 followers, while local businesses and charities also rallied around the family. Moch said the campaign brought support but also death threats against him and company employees.\n\nUnder the agreement with the FDA, Josh was expected to receive the drug on Wednesday as the first of 20 patients in an open-label study. The FDA also committed to work with Chimerix on the design of a later Phase 3 study. Josh’s parents welcomed the decision and thanked the company and supporters. St. Jude said his condition remained critical and complex, and cautioned that the drug’s safety and effectiveness in children had not yet been established."}, {"answer_id": "a003", "answer": "Seven-year-old Josh Hardy, a first-grader from Fredericksburg, Virginia, is set to receive an experimental antiviral drug after his family’s campaign drew national attention. Chimerix, the company developing brincidofovir, reached an agreement with the Food and Drug Administration to begin a clinical trial, with Josh as its first patient.\n\nJosh has survived several bouts of cancer since he was diagnosed with a rare kidney cancer at nine months old. A recent bone marrow transplant left his immune system severely weakened, and in February he developed an adenovirus infection that spread throughout his body. He is in critical condition at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, experiencing heart and kidney failure.\n\nChimerix initially declined requests to provide the drug through compassionate use, a process that allows people with serious or life-threatening illnesses to request experimental medicines. The company said that supplying the drug individually could slow its efforts to bring it to market. Its president and CEO, Kenneth Moch, said Chimerix had received more than 80 compassionate-use requests for brincidofovir over the previous two years.\n\nJosh’s parents and supporters pressed the company through social media, petitions, phone calls, emails and national television appearances. A “Save Josh” Facebook page attracted more than 15,000 followers, while local organizations and businesses also rallied around the family. Moch said the campaign brought attention to adenovirus infections and the need to study the drug, though he also reported that he and other Chimerix employees had received death threats.\n\nThe new open-label pilot study is expected to provide brincidofovir to 20 patients, beginning with Josh. The FDA also committed to work with Chimerix on the design of a larger Phase 3 study that would continue the pilot. Moch said the arrangement offered a way to help Josh and other patients in need.\n\nJosh’s parents welcomed the decision, and supporters thanked Chimerix and the campaign’s participants. St. Jude expressed gratitude to the company, the FDA and others involved, while emphasizing that Josh’s condition remained critical and complex. The hospital also cautioned that the drug’s safety and effectiveness in children had not yet been established."}, {"answer_id": "a004", "answer": "Seven-year-old Josh Hardy, a first-grader from Fredericksburg, Virginia, is set to receive an experimental antiviral drug after his family’s public campaign prompted national attention. Chimerix, the drug’s manufacturer, reached an agreement with the Food and Drug Administration to start a clinical trial of brincidofovir, with Josh as its first patient.\n\nJosh has battled several cancers since he was diagnosed with a rare kidney cancer at nine months old. A recent bone marrow transplant left him with a severely weakened immune system, and he developed a widespread adenovirus infection. At St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, he remained in critical condition, suffering from heart and kidney failure.\n\nChimerix initially declined the family’s request for access to the drug. The company said providing it individually to Josh and other patients could slow its efforts to bring the medicine to market. The FDA’s compassionate-use policy allows patients with serious or life-threatening illnesses to request experimental drugs, but companies do not always agree to supply them.\n\nJosh’s relatives and supporters pressed their case through social media, petitions, phone calls, emails and national television appearances. The “Save Josh” Facebook page attracted more than 15,000 supporters, while local businesses and charities joined the effort. Chimerix CEO Kenneth Moch said the campaign also brought death threats against him and other employees.\n\nThe new open-label pilot study will provide brincidofovir to 20 patients, beginning with Josh. The FDA also committed to work with Chimerix on a subsequent Phase 3 study. Moch said the arrangement could help other patients in need; the company had received more than 80 requests for compassionate use of the drug over the previous two years.\n\nJosh’s parents welcomed the decision and thanked supporters and Chimerix. St. Jude said the drug’s safety and effectiveness in children had not yet been established and emphasized that Josh’s condition remained critical and complex."}, {"answer_id": "a005", "answer": "Seven-year-old Josh Hardy, who was critically ill with a viral infection after a bone marrow transplant, was set to receive an experimental drug after his family’s appeal drew national attention. Chimerix, the drug’s manufacturer, said it had worked with the Food and Drug Administration to arrange a clinical trial in which Josh would be the first patient.\n\nJosh, a first-grader from Fredericksburg, Virginia, had survived several bouts of cancer since being diagnosed with a rare kidney cancer at nine months old. Following his transplant, his weakened immune system left him vulnerable to an adenovirus that spread throughout his body. He was in intensive care at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, suffering from heart and kidney failure.\n\nHis family and doctors sought brincidofovir, an antiviral drug that had not yet received FDA approval. Chimerix initially declined to provide it, saying that handling individual requests could slow efforts to bring the drug to market. Although the FDA permits patients with serious or life-threatening illnesses to seek experimental medicines through compassionate use, companies can decline those requests.\n\nThe Hardy family’s campaign spread through social media, petitions and national television appearances. A “Save Josh” Facebook page drew more than 15,000 followers, while local businesses and charities also rallied around the family. Chimerix CEO Kenneth Moch said the public response included support for Josh as well as death threats against him and other company employees.\n\nChimerix ultimately announced an FDA-approved, open-label study intended to provide the drug to 20 patients, beginning with Josh. The FDA also committed to work with the company on a potential later-stage study. Moch said the arrangement could help other patients in need, and Josh’s parents expressed gratitude to him and their supporters.\n\nSt. Jude expected to receive the medication within 48 hours but cautioned that its safety and effectiveness in children had not been established. The hospital emphasized that Josh’s condition remained critical and medically complex."}, {"answer_id": "a006", "answer": "Seven-year-old Josh Hardy, who was critically ill with a widespread adenovirus infection, was set to receive an experimental antiviral drug after its maker, Chimerix, reached an agreement with the Food and Drug Administration to begin a clinical trial. Josh would be the first of 20 patients in the open-label study of brincidofovir, with the FDA also agreeing to work with the company on a larger Phase 3 study.\n\nJosh, a first-grader from Fredericksburg, Virginia, had survived several bouts of cancer since he was diagnosed with a rare kidney cancer as a baby. A recent bone marrow transplant left his immune system severely weakened, and the adenovirus spread through his body. At St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, he was in intensive care with heart and kidney failure.\n\nHis family and doctors had sought access to brincidofovir, which was not yet widely available or approved by the FDA. Chimerix initially declined, saying that providing the drug individually could slow efforts to bring it to market. Company president Kenneth Moch said Chimerix had received more than 80 requests for compassionate use of the drug over two years and had been working with the FDA on a way to reach more patients.\n\nThe family’s appeal drew national attention through television coverage, social media, petitions and local support. A “Save Josh” Facebook page attracted more than 15,000 followers, and supporters sent calls, emails and tweets to Chimerix. Moch said the campaign also led to death threats against him and other employees.\n\nJosh’s parents celebrated the announcement and thanked supporters and Chimerix. St. Jude expected the medication within 48 hours but cautioned that its safety and effectiveness in children had not been established and that Josh’s condition remained critical and complex."}, {"answer_id": "a007", "answer": "Seven-year-old Josh Hardy, who was critically ill at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, was set to become the first patient in a clinical trial of the experimental antiviral drug brincidofovir. Drugmaker Chimerix announced the decision after working with the Food and Drug Administration to expedite the trial, which would initially make the drug available to 20 patients.\n\nJosh, a first-grader from Fredericksburg, Virginia, had survived several cancers since being diagnosed with a rare kidney cancer at nine months old. A bone marrow transplant left his immune system severely weakened, and he developed a widespread adenovirus infection. He was in intensive care with heart and kidney failure.\n\nChimerix initially declined the family’s request for the drug through the FDA’s compassionate-use process. The company said that providing it individually to Josh and other patients could slow efforts to bring it to market. Its president and CEO, Kenneth Moch, said the company had received more than 80 similar requests over two years and had been working with the FDA on a way to help more patients.\n\nJosh’s family and supporters drew national attention to his case through television appearances, social media, petitions and calls to the company. The “Save Josh” Facebook page attracted more than 15,000 supporters, while local businesses and charities organized additional support. Moch said the campaign also brought death threats against him and other Chimerix employees.\n\nJosh’s parents expressed relief and gratitude after learning of the decision, and supporters thanked Chimerix and the people who had joined the campaign. St. Jude cautioned that the drug’s safety and effectiveness in children had not been established and that Josh’s condition remained critical and complex."}, {"answer_id": "a008", "answer": "Seven-year-old Josh Hardy of Fredericksburg, Virginia, is set to receive an experimental antiviral drug after his family’s appeal to its manufacturer, Chimerix, drew national attention and widespread public support. The company and the Food and Drug Administration agreed to expedite a clinical trial of brincidofovir, with Josh as its first patient.\n\nJosh has survived several cancers since he was diagnosed with kidney cancer at nine months old. A recent bone marrow transplant left him without an effective immune system, and he developed an adenovirus infection in February. He remains in critical condition at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, with heart and kidney failure.\n\nChimerix had initially declined the family’s request to provide the drug through “compassionate use,” a process that allows patients with serious illnesses to seek experimental medicines outside clinical trials. The company argued that doing so could slow development of the drug. St. Jude welcomed the agreement but cautioned that brincidofovir’s safety and effectiveness in children had not yet been established.\n\nUnder the new open-label study, the drug is expected to be available to 20 patients, beginning with Josh. Chimerix said the FDA had also committed to working with it on the design of a later Phase 3 study. Company president and CEO Kenneth Moch said he hoped the arrangement would help other patients in need as well.\n\nJosh’s parents and supporters had pressed their case through television appearances, social media, petitions, phone calls and emails. A Facebook campaign attracted thousands of followers, and local organizations raised support for the family. Moch said the campaign also brought death threats against him and Chimerix employees.\n\nAfter the announcement, Josh’s mother, Aimee, celebrated on Facebook, and his father, Todd, praised Moch’s efforts. The family’s supporters thanked “Josh’s Army” for helping bring attention to his case."}, {"answer_id": "a009", "answer": "Seven-year-old Josh Hardy, a first-grader from Fredericksburg, Virginia, is set to receive an experimental antiviral drug after his family’s campaign for access drew national attention. Chimerix, the drug’s manufacturer, reached an agreement with the Food and Drug Administration to begin a clinical trial, with Josh as its first patient.\n\nJosh has survived several bouts of cancer since he was diagnosed with a rare kidney cancer at nine months old. Following a bone marrow transplant, his weakened immune system left him vulnerable to an adenovirus infection that spread throughout his body. He is in critical condition at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, experiencing heart and kidney failure.\n\nHis family and doctors had urged Chimerix to provide brincidofovir, which they hoped could fight the virus. The company initially declined, saying that providing the experimental drug through individual compassionate-use requests could slow its wider development. Chimerix CEO Kenneth Moch said the company had received more than 80 such requests over two years and wanted to find a way to help more patients.\n\nChimerix and the FDA agreed to expedite an open-label pilot study for 20 patients, beginning with Josh. The FDA also committed to working quickly with the company on the design of a larger Phase 3 study. St. Jude said the drug’s safety and effectiveness in children had not yet been established and emphasized that Josh’s condition remained critical and complex.\n\nThe family’s appeal prompted a nationwide response. Supporters organized social media campaigns, petitions, calls and emails, while local businesses and charities rallied around the family. Moch said the attention helped bring discussion to adenovirus infections and the need for further drug development, although he also reported that he and other Chimerix employees had received death threats.\n\nJosh’s parents celebrated the agreement and thanked supporters and Chimerix. Moch said he hoped the study would help Josh and other patients in need."}]}