Signed by President Barack Obama earlier this month, the act will help the FDA expedite the drug review process, particularly for drugs in shortage. It will also require companies to notify the FDA if they anticipate an interruption in production.

"It allows us as a regulatory agency to step in, and try and prevent the shortage in the first place," Kweder said. "So for example, we can go to other companies to ask them to increase their production. We can assist companies that are having difficulties to finding alternatives for the difficulties they are having, and even in rare cases, we can seek sources of medications from other countries, where they might be being produced to our standards."

Help comes from abroad

That's actually what happened in the case of Doxil.

In February, the FDA stepped in and allowed the importation of Lipodox from an Indian manufacturer, a possible therapeutic alternative. But Naumann said he was never able to get his hands on it.

"The key is having enough notice," says Kweder. Since Obama signed an executive order requesting early notification from manufacturers in November 2011, more and more companies have been able to give the FDA the needed heads-up.

"We've done that successfully innumerable times. Just since January, at our count, we've prevented 94 to 100 shortages, things the public never sees," Kweder told Gupta.

"I think it's a start," says Naumann, but it's not enough.

"I think these shortages are going to continue because of the same problems that we have. There are certainly fixes out there for it. I don't think these shortages are going to go away because of this bill."

For Mosier's daughters, it's all too late.

Had Mosier gotten the Doxil, Philipp says, "I think she thought it would have at least put her in remission in another time, or it would save her from the chemo that was detrimental to her."