Drug Shortages Get National Attention

The escalating problem of drug shortages has finally triggered presidential action. Over the last several years physicians and patients have been battling shortages of critical medications. In some cases anesthesiologists have had to substitute unfamiliar or less safe compounds. Oncologists have had difficulty locating essential chemotherapy drugs and emergency physicians have been challenged by a shortage of pre-loaded epinephrine syringes, used to reverse anaphylactic reactions.
Recognizing the crisis, President Obama signed an executive order authorizing the FDA to take a greater initiative to alert pharmacists and physicians to impending shortages. The FDA cannot force drug companies to make life-saving medications, but perhaps the publicity will encourage generic drug manufacturers to put people’s lives ahead of profits.