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.
[]
The report points to a number of reasons for the shortages but puts the blame largely on the pharmaceutical industry.
[]
"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 ...
“It isn’t just medicine, go to the store, the shelves are rarely full anymore. I told my husband to make me a list of the things he needs to replace often and I’m going to buy extra.”
I’ve noticed as well. Especially at stores like Wal-Mart. I rarely am able to buy everything on my shopping list.
If I was running the pharmacy, I'd fill all the large Oxi stock bottles with epicac or exlax, and make sure everyone filling perscriptions knew where the real McCoy was stored. But I suppose that's illegal.
Wow... I hope we don’t have any national health emergencies any time soon. Preferably, after November 2012...
>>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.
Type 1 = dead without insulin.
Type 2 = not dead, in fact diabetes disappears if they lose their belly fat.
Socialism at work. Happens everywhere it's tried.
Leftists have convinced most Americans that big pharm is their enemy. Ignorance is rampant and results in the people not knowing the basic facts about anything such as the fact that 80% of new drugs come from America where it takes a billion dollars to develop and get approved any new drug.
The price controlled European drug companies barely contribute anything new.
I thought it was just me. Yes, I've been seeing more and more empty shelves at the grocery store. They're also claiming they don't have their advertized specials. I posted my experience with some fish a few months ago. I'd gone in three times and the shelf was empty. A friend in another town had the same experience. I had to call to make an appointment with the "guy in the back." When I got there, the shelf was still empty so I stomped over to the customer service desk and had them call the "guy in the back." I went back to meet him and another customer had cornered him. He brought out just the weight the customer requested and nothing for the shelf. Then I put in my order and when I got to the check out, the cashier and the bagger both commented they didn't know they had any fish. It was like I was making a drug deal in a back alley. All very strange. Now I'm getting rain checks and they frown about that. Never had that happen in all the years I've been shopping there.
Is it any wonder you have to call in your prescription and wait two days before picking it up. Used to be you'd walk up to the pharmacist and he'd have it filled in just moments. Now days you have to wait forever if you don't call it in. Just a couple weeks ago my 80 year old neighbor had to wait 3 hours. That's just inexcusable.
Will never forget a memorable trip we made to East Berlin back at the time the wall was falling. We would look into the windows and there would be ONE set of dishes . ..in the entire store. That was it.
That’s communism for you ...
Thank you, FDA.
I had a CVS pharmacist SHORT me 30 Oxy’s on a 90 pill script one time. Good thing I counted it when I got home and called right away. He at first denied it and then relented when he saw I meant it.
In fairness, I’ve seen conservatives pushing to limit access to phenobarbital, and that’s part of the issue. Fortunately, secobarbital has returned to the market, but it’s not easy to get medications when a single quality control issue can shut down the only worldwide production.
I see the empty shelves too. Emoty for months, and these are national chains. Also, Rx refills take forever to get filled, because they don’t have the stuff in stock. It seems to be the economy, IMO.
Nasty. Our CVS is very well run, and a big improvement over another pharmacy chain that used to have our business. They made a lot of dispensing errors and I was happy to have an alternative.
Part of the Tylenol problem is due to problems at McNeil's Fort Washington PA facility. They had some quality control issues, a lot of products were recalled, and now production is shut down at the plant. I expect they'll get it sorted out, but it's hurt local employment, and our store shelves are missing their usual selection of Tylenol products.
Almost no human docs treat seizures with phenobarb any more.
there is also a shortage of one special kind of chemo drug.....don’t know the name, but no one can get it.....
I’ve noticed this too. In big chain stores, not just
the local small indies. Rx are especially problematic,
including OTC ones, bc the expiration dates really mean
something.
I just realized I should send this out to a large # of
people. Thanks.
Good reminder to count them in the store. Once one
pharmacist gave me the *wrong* orange and white capsule.
I wondered why the Rx wasn’t working, then looked real
closely. So read the little letters too, take a magnifier
if you must. I looked later in the PDR and was a bit taken
aback at what *other* orange and white capsules I might
have gotten.
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