Supply of some key medications dangerously low

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Pittsburgh Tribune Review

National shortages of some life-saving medications highlight potentially lethal weaknesses in the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain, experts say.

Products such as pre-filled syringes medics use to battle cardiac arrests, acute asthma attacks and shock, and medications that set the standard for sedating patients for surgery or numbing postsurgical pain, popped up this summer on Food and Drug Administration shortage alerts.

"I've been a pharmacist since 1968, and, without a doubt, this is the worst it's ever been," said Michael Cohen, director of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices. The suburban Philadelphia nonprofit has tracked medication error reports across the nation for more than three decades.

Cohen said the institute, which is completing a survey of more than 1,700 practitioners nationwide, was alerted about two deaths related to a morphine shortage. The deaths occurred when patients received a much stronger replacement drug in dosages commonly prescribed for morphine. He did not say where the deaths occurred.


Read more: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_699393.html

[mbperrin]

1. No doubt if they raise the price, there'll be plenty!

Ploy? What ploy?

[billlll]

2. I'll bet nationalized places dont have this problem

France was world s

Best last I checked.

[L0oniX]

3. Short the supply and increase demand = raise prices. Fuck you big pharma!