Pres Obama orders FDA action to reduce Rx drug shortages in USA

While the US Food and Drug Administration has successfully prevented 137 drug shortages since the beginning of 2010, drug shortages have been increasing in frequency and severity in recent years and adversely affecting patient care. A small number of drugs in the US experience a shortage in any given year, but the number of reported prescription drug shortages in the country nearly tripled between 2005 and 2010, going from 61 to 178 (The Pharma Letters passim).

To help resolve the situation, US President Barack Obama yesterday issued an Executive Order - rather than risking having his proposals voted down in Congress - directing the FDA and the Department of Justice to take action to help further reduce and prevent drug shortages, protect consumers and prevent price gouging. These additional steps for early notification will help achieve some of the goals of bipartisan legislation in Congress, which the President supports, that will strengthen the FDA’s ability to prevent prescription drug shortages in the future.

Key facts about drug shortages