Healthcare leaders brief Congress on drug shortages
If you want a true picture of just how severe drug shortages are across the country, listen to testimony from several healthcare leaders to members of Congress.
On Friday the chief operating officer of the Premier healthcare alliance testified before the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health in the U.S. House of Representatives. He explained how drug shortages across the U.S. are causing a particular hardship for hospitals and patient care.
You can read a portion of the testimony by clicking here. You can also watch the testimony by clicking here .
According to research by Premier, drug shortages could cost U.S. hospitals at least $415 million annually. This is because more expensive generic or therapeutic substitutes are often needed and there are additional labor costs related to finding these alternative solutions.
Committee members were told about the serious implications drug shortages are causing for patient care, including having to delay medical procedures and having to substitute certain medications with others that are often less clinically effective.
Federal officials need to act quickly. Healthcare leaders have stressed the need for several improvements including creating a stakeholder committee to advise the FDA on market conditions and requiring manufacturers to provide the FDA notification of planned discontinuation or interruption in the manufacturing of drugs. Many also recommend shortening the approval process for medically necessary generic drugs.
I hope members of Congress are listening. Patient care should not be compromised in this way and many in healthcare describe the situation as the “worst” they have seen in years.
Mike Stephens blogs regularly at Action for Better Healthcare.
