According to The New York Times, U.S. healthcare providers are experiencing difficulty keeping vital medicines in stock because of a drug shortage crisis. The problem, which peaked in 2011 when a record-breaking 251 drugs were declared in short supply, was caused largely by a series of manufacturing problems and has prompted congressional hearings, a presidential order requiring drug manufacturers to notify the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) when the potential threat of a shortage arose, and pledges by generic drug manufacturers to communicate more efficiently with federal regulators.
This year, more than 100 drugs were placed on the “short supply” list, leading to rationing, treating patients with less effective alternative medicines, and using expired drugs. According to the Times’ report, facilities such as The Cleveland Clinic have appointed pharmacists whose sole job is to locate and secure hard-to-find drugs, which range from basic heart medicines and nitroglycerin to lidocane injections, which are typically administered to numb muscle tissues before surgery.
The FDA warns that shortages of six particular drugs—namely medicines used during surgery and to treat conditions such as congestive heart failure—could worsen with the closing of Ameridose, a pharmacy that shares some management with the New England Compounding Center, which is at the core of a deadly meningitis outbreak that has killed 33.
