U.S. Races to Ease Critical Drug Shortage Nationwide
Though you may not know it if you're not in regular need of these medications, there's a serious shortage in this country of vital drugs.
Federal officials, pharm companies and doctors are scrambling to find medications to fill a serious shortage, including drugs that treat bacterial infections and several forms of cancer. Dr. Michael Link, Director of the American Society of Clinical Oncology told the New York Times, “These shortages are just killing us... these drugs save lives, and it’s unconscionable that medicines that cost a couple of bucks a vial are unavailable.” This year a record number of drugs are unavailable for a range of diseases, including childhood leukemia, bacterial infections, and others; 180 different medicines in all.
For many of these medications scarcity has drive up prices as much as twenty-fold, and created life-threatening lulls in treatment for many cancer patients. In addition, those drugs that are available are falling into short supply as people fall back on other brands or types that might have similar effects.
