Drug Shortage Crisis in the US

One of the most serious problems that American health care faces is a drastic shortage of supply of important generic drugs, especially certain injectable medications for cancer chemotherapy ï¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Æ’?? methotrexate, doxil, cytarabine, daunorubicin, dexamethasone, and vincristine. Currently 283 prescription drugs are in short supply or are unavailable throughout the nation. Regulators and manufacturers say these shortages are a long-term problem. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said the number of shortages of prescription drugs has tripled between 2005 and 2010, with 22 oncology drugs being in short supply over the last two years. This has led to the use of other drugs, delays in treatment or use of alternative treatments when the recommended drugs are unavailable. Of the total number of drugs in short supply, 80% of them generic injectable medications. In terms of therapy area, oncology drugs account for 16% of the drugs facing shortage. The number of patients potentially affected by drug shortages is also extensive. More than half a million patients have been affected by the lack of availability of around 28 cancer drugs.