Preventing drug shortages requires a “swat team” mentality by all, including FDA, manufacturers, group purchasing organizations (GPOs), and health systems. Here’s what healthcare providers should do about the issue.
Preventing drug shortages requires a “swat team” mentality by all, including FDA, manufacturers, group purchasing organizations (GPOs), and health systems.
AlkireFor starters, faster FDA approvals would help to eliminate the backlog of generic medications, says Michael Alkire, chief operating officer for Charlotte, North Carolina-based Premier, a national alliance of hospitals and healthcare providers. Efforts are underway by FDA to expedite the process of getting new entrants into the marketplace to help drive competition and create healthier markets.
In addition, Kristy Hawley, MPH, scholar, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences Office for Clinical Practice Innovation, Washington, D.C., believes that policymakers, manufacturers, physician-led organizations, and patient advocacy groups should aggressively explore the root cause of drug shortages at the national level.
HawleyShe also says hospitals should continue to demand high-quality and timely information from FDA and manufacturers about the availability of medically necessary drugs so that pharmacies can develop protocols to protect patients and providers-who may be forced to prescribe drugs they are not familiar with.
Here are three other ways hospitals and providers can help address drug shortage problems:
Karen Appold is a medical writer in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania.