Nothing is worse than getting into the donut hole.....medications are beyond what we can pay. Jan and Dick

Drug shortage dilemma

posted Wed, 7 Sep 2011

If you have been paying attention lately to the news, you’ll know that the United States is facing an unprecedented shortage of live-saving prescription drugs. Almost every hospital recently surveyed by the American Hospital Association reported being short of one or more drugs in the previous six months. Nearly half of them reported shortages on a daily basis.

The shortage is particularly troublesome because it involves drugs that are crucial for emergencies, surgery and cancer treatment. This means it has serious implications for some of the most vulnerable patients. They are being forced to accept delayed or less effective treatments.

It is also problematic for healthcare facilities. A number have turned to the gray market to buy drugs—paying an astonishing markup. A recent study indicates that the average gray market increase in price is about 650 percent but is sometimes as much as 4,500 percent.

It’s not clear what is causing the shortages. Drug companies are not obligated to report the reasons to anyone. But it’s important to note that the scarce drugs are typically generics with low profit margins. Sadly, when big profits are taken out of the equation, pharmaceutical companies lose interest in producing drugs. And the FDA currently has no way to compel companies to make more of a particular drug.

There is not even a system in place to warn healthcare providers of impending shortages. Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN) introduced S. 296, the Preserving Access to Life-Saving Medications Act, this year in an attempt to address this issue.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is currently conducting a study into drug shortages at the request of Senator Richard Blumenthal (CT). The GAO report should be available this fall. Klobuchar and Blumenthal have formed a bipartisan group to address drug shortages and the gray market. The FDA has scheduled a public workshop to discuss drug shortage causes and potential remedies on September 26.

To address this crisis, better industry regulation seems necessary. But PhRMA is sure to be vehemently opposed. And the pharmaceutical industry has invested billions into lobbying against regulations. Let’s hope Congress does the right thing in this case: prioritize patient health rather than surrender to the highest bidder!

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