The alarm has been sounded on a crisis quietly unfolding across American pharmacies: critical medications, including cancer treatments, are in short supply.
This shortage not only jeopardizes patient care but also shines a spotlight on a dysfunctional system that requires immediate policy intervention.
According to a survey by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, a staggering 96 percent of pharmacy technicians reported that essential drugs are scarce. The shortages extend from chemotherapy and ADHD medications to vital anesthetics and mainstream diabetes and weight loss drugs like Mounjaro, Ozempic, and Wegovy.
Advertisement - story continues below
“Drug shortages are affecting many areas of pharmacy practice, such as retail, compounding, and hospitals,” Anthony Longo, a doctor of pharmacy and director of pharmacy at Northwell Long Island Jewish Forest Hills, told The Epoch Times.
The Real-Life Consequences for American Patients
Stop the censors, sign up to get today's top stories delivered right to your inbox
The absence of essential medications has direct, often life-altering consequences for patients.
The situation is particularly critical for those requiring cancer treatments, as a lack of medication can lead to longer hospital stays, increased costs, and severe adverse reactions.
Advertisement - story continues below
To help patients, about 90 percent of surveyed technicians provide substitute medications when available. Nevertheless, almost half the time—45 percent to be precise—patients still leave without what they need.
When a substitute drug is not available, nearly one-third of technicians resort to in-house compounding, a custom preparation of medications within healthcare facilities.
While commendable, the lack of commercially available drugs exposes the weaknesses within our healthcare supply chain. “It’s no surprise that pharmacy technicians are actively working on solutions to mitigate drug shortages for their patients,” said William Schimmel, PTCB CEO. “I’m impressed by the spirit of collaboration, even outside of the pharmacy where they work.”
The Unbearable Strain on Healthcare Providers
An American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) survey earlier this summer echoed these grim findings, revealing that drug shortages severely impact not only patients but also healthcare staff.
Advertisement - story continues below
“This is an unsustainable reality for the entire healthcare system,” lamented Michael Ganio, senior director of pharmacy practice and quality at ASHP.
The ASHP survey, conducted from June 23 to July 14, found over 300 active shortages at the end of Q2 2023—”the highest in nearly a decade,” according to the survey. Sixty percent of the respondents classified chemotherapy drug shortages as the most detrimental.
Underlying Factors and a Call for Action
The ASHP’s policy recommendations highlight a cocktail of problems causing the shortages—disruptions in quality control, supply chain hiccups, and what they term as ‘extreme’ price competition.
Advertisement - story continues below
It’s evident that market forces are in disarray; intense competition has gutted profitability for generic drugs, thus disincentivizing manufacturers from producing them.
“This issue requires quick action from Congress to address the underlying causes of shortages and ensure patients have the medications they need,” said Paul W. Abramowitz, ASHP Chief Executive Officer.
In conclusion, this unsettling landscape calls for swift, common-sense policy solutions. Without quick intervention, we risk not only the health of individual patients but the integrity of a healthcare system that should be the envy of the world.
