Dr. Brita's Blog

June 28, 2019 – As summer weather and family vacations beckon more people outdoors, the ongoing shortage of EpiPens poses a serious risk for people allergic to insect bites. EpiPen, the leading brand of epinephrine auto-injectors, provides emergency treatment for life-threatening allergic reactions to stings, foods, drugs and other substances.

May 30, 2019 – A lot has happened during the month of May related to two major issues facing healthcare today – drug shortages and the high cost of medications. On the plus side, there were announcements of more antibiotics and other generic injectable medications coming onto the market. On the flip side, we learned of serious price fixing allegations against leading drug manufacturers.

 May 17, 2019 – One of the most striking realizations about the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug shortage list is how many of the medications are life-saving. For example, what would a clinical team do if there was no atropine available in the emergency room when a patient’s heart rate is dangerously slow? Or no sodium bicarbonate to administer when a patient is in cardiac arrest? Imagining that is very unsettling.

May 2, 2019 – Health systems are juggling a myriad of pharmacy-related challenges in 2019. Compliance with new regulations, declining reimbursement rates, rising medication costs and drug shortages are some of the many challenges that are top of mind. Now the real question is, how do they overcome them?

No doubt you’ve heard it said before, but drug shortages really have become the new normal. Shortages have grown more persistent and long-lasting over the years. Some have even been active for more than eight years! The intensity of shortages also remains high – as does the public health impact. At a November 2018 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug shortage summit, FDA task force members provided a succinct summary with some key themes of the current situation facing hospitals today:

Mar. 21, 2019 - Recently, I came across a series of detailed graphs showing drug shortage statistics that provides a snapshot of the ongoing epidemic of drug shortages from 2001 to 2018. These statistics were compiled by the University of Utah Drug Information Service and published by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). The seven graphs revealed the rate of new shortages is increasing. Long-term active and ongoing shortages are not being resolved. There are also inadequate supplies of basic drugs, which has a serious negative impact on patient care and pharmacy operations.

Mar. 6, 2019 - Welcome to Part 3 of our blog series examining the drug shortage crisis. Part 1 covered the rapid increase in prices and the types of drugs most commonly affected. Part 2 delved deeper into the impact on hospital systems’ ability to manage drug spending and shortages. Here in Part 3, we’re looking closer at drug shortage impact on clinical staffing and the effect on patient care.

Feb. 21, 2019 - Welcome to part two of a three-part blog series about the drug shortage crisis. Part one covered the rapid increase in prices and the types of drugs most commonly affected. Here in Part two we’re delving deeper into the impact on hospital systems’ ability to manage drug spending and shortages.

These posts are inspired by insights from the January 2019 report, “Recent Trends in Hospital Drug Spending and Manufacturer Shortages,” which was issued jointly with the American Hospital Association, Federation of American Hospitals and American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. 

Feb. 8, 2019 - We’re all familiar with skyrocketing prescription drug prices and the challenges posed by drug shortages. Thanks to a new report, we now have a better understanding of the extent of the problem.

The Drug Shortage Epidemic: How Bad Is It, Really?

Jan. 25, 2018 - The drug shortage crisis continues with no end in sight.  The number and duration of prescription drug shortages is growing, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Annals of Internal Medicine also reported that prescription drug shortages cause an estimated $230 million in additional costs annually due to rising prices of drugs under shortage and the higher costs of substitutes. However, there are real consequences beyond the hard-dollar costs.