Posted by Michael Wonder on 12 Jul 2018
Statement by FDA Commissioner on the formation of a new drug shortages task force and FDA’s efforts to advance long-term solutions to prevent shortages
12 July 2018 - We’ve seen the number of new drug shortages steadily decline since a peak in 2011 owing to the work of the FDA, industry and other groups.
Despite these efforts, we continue to see ongoing shortages of medically necessary products. Even shortages of a small number of key drugs can place a serious burden on providers. While we’ve made progress to mitigate individual shortages, we haven’t firmly impacted the underlying structural concerns that give rise to these recurring challenges.
When shortages occur, practitioners are forced to ration supplies or substitute alternate drugs that in some cases compromise patient care. We need to pursue more enduring solutions.
