Comments on: Have You Been Affected By Drug Shortages? http://www.rheumatoidarthritisguy.com/2011/10/have-you-been-affected-by-drug-shortages/ Thu, 03 Sep 2015 17:55:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.3 By: Joie http://www.rheumatoidarthritisguy.com/2011/10/have-you-been-affected-by-drug-shortages/#comment-5047 Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:54:25 +0000 http://www.rheumatoidarthritisguy.com/?p=15219#comment-5047 Yes, I’ve had trouble getting injectable methotrexate. My mail order pharmacy — one of the biggest pharmacy benefit managers in the US — was out of inj mtx. I called around to local walk-in pharmacies and they were out of inj mtx, but I was directed to a pharmacy near one of the largest retirement communities in my state — they have a big stockpile I guess, cuz I’ve been able to fill my inj mtx script for the last 2 months there, though I’ve read on RA online forums of others not able to find inj mtx at all.

I had been reading about the drug shortages — especially of sterile, injectables like mtx — which is used to treat cancer patients as well as RA folks. My understanding is one drug maker had a quality problem and had to recall their inj mtx, the remaining mtx makers couldn’t keep up with the demand.

http://www.ashp.org/drugshortages/current/bulletin.aspx?id=26

The PBS Newshour had segments about drug shortages and the “gray market” that exploits them.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/08/drug-prices-soar-as-pharmacists-are-forced-into-gray-market.html

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/july-dec11/drugshortage_08-29.html

Healthbeatblog also has a good article w/links to more discussions of this critical issue.

http://www.healthbeatblog.com/2011/08/cancer-drug-shortage-why-is-this-not-front-page-news-.html

The whole issue of drug shortages angers me. Mtx is one of the first drugs prescribed to someone newly diagnosed w/RA. Along w/other DMARDS or prednisone, it can manage RA symptoms and sometimes not require going onto a biologic. Inj mtx costs $20 a month — a biologic — can cost more than $1,500 a month. If the US wants to control rising health care costs, then something needs to be done to ensure that cheap generics remain available.

]]> By: Deb aka murphthesurf http://www.rheumatoidarthritisguy.com/2011/10/have-you-been-affected-by-drug-shortages/#comment-5044 Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:58:21 +0000 http://www.rheumatoidarthritisguy.com/?p=15219#comment-5044 This goes to the logic of why we do need control over our medical supply chain (including doctors, etc .) in this country. Supply and demand does not take into account fixing which is profound here in the US. And as fast as one fixing scheme is uncovered, five other pop up. Amazing that humans see fit to use other humans (regardless of the consequences) for profit. It is well past prime time that we pursue criminal charges across the boards here in the US. Of course individuals will continue such criminal activity if there is no fear of jail time.

]]> By: RA Guy http://www.rheumatoidarthritisguy.com/2011/10/have-you-been-affected-by-drug-shortages/#comment-5041 Sun, 23 Oct 2011 16:06:49 +0000 http://www.rheumatoidarthritisguy.com/?p=15219#comment-5041 Over the past six months, many people have shared stories of how they have been affected by certain drug shortages, such as leflunomide and injectable methotrexate. Some have wondered if companies were profiteering from these shortages. These two news stories seem to indicate that indeed, this may be happening.

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