Keeping an Eye on the Drug Shortage Crisis
by Katherine McLane (LIVESTRONG Staff)
Out with the old, in with the new, right? Well, unfortunately some problems are following us into the new year. One that is of big concern to us at LIVESTRONG is the cancer drug shortage affecting survivors in the U.S. An Associated Press story published this week indicates the issue isn’t going away any time soon. In fact, it could be getting worse.
“…The number of new prescription drug shortages in 2011 shot up to 267, well above the prior record and about four times the number of medication shortages in the middle of the last decade. Figures just released by the University of Utah Drug Information Service, which tracks national drug shortages, show there were 56 more newly reported drug shortages in the U.S. last year than in 2010, when there were 211. By contrast, there were only 58 drug shortages reported in 2004.
“As the drug shortages worsen, so does their impact on patient care, particularly in hospitals. The inability to get crucial medicines has disrupted chemotherapy, surgery and care for patients with infections and pain. At least 15 deaths since 2010 have been blamed on the shortages, which have set a record high in each of the last five years.”
You can read the full article online. And if you believe there’s even a possibility you or a loved one may have been affected by the drug shortage crisis—whether you’re a patient or health care provider—we need to hear from you!
Please take our short survey and share your story:
surveymonkey.com/DrugShortage
Your input will help us represent patient voices on this critical issue to survivors and their families.
