Drug Shortages Continue To Run Rampant

Luke 21:11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.

A new report from the Government Accountability Office says that drug shortages are continuing to hamper doctors nationwide.

The GAO report is mandated by a 2012 law that gives the Food and Drug Administration the power to manage drug shortages.  The GAO was to determine if the FDA has improved responses to the problems.

The report concludes the FDA is preventing more shortages than in the past but that the total number of shortages is increasing.  In 2012, the FDA managed 154 potential shortages compared to 35 in 2010.  However, the number of drugs in shortage in 2012 was 456 compared to 154 in 2007.

Some of the drugs in the “shortage” category include nitroglycerine for heart issues and cisatracurium, the drug used to paralyze muscles for surgery.

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