Posted on 04/20/2011 4:15:05 PM PDT by bvw
WASHINGTON -- The number of prescription drugs in short supply has more than tripled since 2005 and shortages are now more frequent than ever, []
Premier Healthcare Alliance -- a performance improvement alliance of more than 2,500 U.S. hospitals -- surveyed 311 pharmacy experts at hospitals and other facilities, such as surgery centers and long-term care facilities, about shortages during a six month period in 2010.
The survey found that 89% had experienced shortages that may have caused a medication safety issue or error in patient care. Eight out of 10 times a shortage occurred, the patient's care was delayed or the medication intervention was canceled.
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The report points to a number of reasons for the shortages but puts the blame largely on the pharmaceutical industry.
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"There is no doubt that the number of suppliers that provide these products has narrowed dramatically," said Martin Caponi, pharmacy director of Sacred Heart Medical Center in Eugene, Ore. []
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) [] said financial considerations in the pharmaceutical industry are a huge factor[]
The report authors agreed.
"Pressures are mounting to offset profit reductions resulting from patent expirations, healthcare reform, and investments related to FDA regulatory compliance for older products," the report authors said. "Manufacturers are delaying or discontinuing investments, thereby impacting product availability."
(Excerpt) Read more at medpagetoday.com ...
I never thought we’d have so many things we need to stockpile in peacetime. I’ve had several occasions on which my pharmacy has been short of specific items in recent years, but I never realized it was part of a larger supply chain issue. My husband’s employer now asks us to use a mail order pharmacy for maintenance medications. The co-pay is lower for mail order, and we can get a 90 day supply of medications. I’ve made it a habit to keep a reserve supply of each prescription so that we don’t run out during mail order processing. Given these problems, I’m glad we have this option.
Oxycondine is the pill of choice of Pharm Bandits. One place here has been held up so many times that they no longer stock it...
Good point about pharmacy theft. We use a CVS pharmacy that just opened in the past year or so. They installed metal grates around the pharmacy area, and it’s all secured after about 10 or 11pm. It’s because of pharmacy thefts in the area.
I think you overestimate the libertarian impulses of drug manufacturers. It is more likely this is:
(1) Thug Bureaucrats and Legislators making the REGULATORY cost of producing generics too high
(2) Crony “Capitalists” in a tight cozy network with Corrupt Legislators and Regulators boxing out all competition to everything except Regulatory-Protected (eg. Patents) drugs.
Do you admit that this could be a significant part of the gapping in supplies and breakdown in the market?
I think you overestimate the libertarian impulses of drug manufacturers. It is more likely this is:
(1) Thug Bureaucrats and Legislators making the REGULATORY cost of producing generics too high
(2) Crony “Capitalists” in a tight cozy network with Corrupt Legislators and Regulators boxing out all competition to everything except Regulatory-Protected (eg. Patents) drugs.
Do you admit that this could be a significant part of the gapping in supplies and breakdown in the market?
Agreed. The free market is NOT, under this FDA.
That is scary.
Most meds have a stable shelf life of 5-7 years if kept out of light and dry.
Yup, hypothyroid and diabetes patients will make the first mass of “medical” deaths that occur after a disaster. Most people have less than a month’s supply of their life-saving meds on hand.
"Pressures are mounting to offset profit reductions resulting from patent expirations, healthcare reform, and investments related to FDA regulatory compliance for older products,I suspect a good number of these shortages are coming on drugs LONG out of patent, so that patent expiry is not as significant, rather this is an attempt to herd the market away from generics into drugs under patent. I would like to hear how Obamacare -- health care reform -- is causing these disruptions -- surely it must be, but I am unclear as to why.
Ping me if you get a definitive answer, please. We try to stay 3 months ahead, but any info would be helpful.
Isn’t it fascinating that the things useful and needed for the economic engine have a tiny patent protection period?
Yet Mickey Mouse and other Hollywood crap is protected until the Sun goes Red Giant. And they have government agents out protecting their “profit”.
Time to buy some more emergency insulin...
A diabetic can get insulin at $22 a bottle with no prescription at Walmart.
4 bottles, 2 R 2 N, for $100 can last around 6 mos if rationed correctly.
The needles can last around 10 injections and go for about $10 for a hundred.
There is a European company that sells cold packs that work awesome - pour water on it and it gets cool.
Diabetics arent going to last that long, but a bunch of fat republicans with nothing to lose will be the last thing Obama wants.
This is exclusively the result of the ex-patent holder AND the generic manufacturer not being able to make a profit.
This is not about "boxing out competition". In fact, we need to box out competition to the patent holder for much longer. It's the only time period when any besides the foreign companies can make money on these drugs. Now even the foreigners are getting squeezed by the commies.
The only drugs in short supply are those whose patent has expired.
I have noticed shortages on both sides of the Rx counter. Try finding Tylenol on a regular basis. Many cold medicines were out of stock due to recalls for most of cold season. Now that allergy season is here, guess what? Benadryl has the same problem. I have also seen pharmacy personnel calling all over town, even to competitors, to find a drug that they do not have. I have to wonder how some of these drug companies are staying in business if they never have their most popular products on the shelves or have to recall them every few months.
Some thyroid meds are inexpensive enough to buy without insurance. In which case, you may explain your concern to you doc and have him write a prescription for one month that you pay for yourself. I think I’ve heard synthroid is cheap.
You'll note that patent expirations isn't the main problem. 20 years is plenty of time to recoup costs, normal market costs to develop a drug.
The main problem is "healthcare reform" aka Obamacare & FDA regs.
It is the Hidden Tax that's killing this country.
Diabetes, especially Type II, is rampant in the minority and low income communites. That is also likely why there is lately such a push against *the obesity epidemic*. It is expensive for Medicaid.
Not sure if there is any difference for Type I.
bump
Could we agree that the FDA is a tyrant and out-of-control bureaucracy, and that their over burden of Regulations do indeed make it impossible to manufacture out-of-patent pharmaceuticals?
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