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AMA declares drug shortages a public health crisis

Physicians at the AMA Annual Meeting adopted a policy to further combat national drug shortages that jeopardize patient care and safety.

Many common drugs needed for patient care across all medical settings, such as sterile IV products, are in shortage. The AMA policy calls the drug shortages an “urgent public health crisis.”

“Physicians strive to provide the best possible care to their patients, which means being able to obtain the right drugs at the right time,” William E. Kobler, MD, AMA board member, said in a press release. “The fact that drug shortages worsened when major hurricanes struck drug production facilities on Puerto Rico highlights the need to evaluate and plan for hazards that pose a threat to critical infrastructure for manufacturing pharmaceutical and medical products.”

AMA encouraged the HHS and the Department of Homeland Security to investigate the drug shortages. The industry and government must work together to improve the security and resilience of drug manufacturing sites, according to the AMA.

AMA called for manufacturers to be more transparent about production locations for drugs and other medical products, as well as issues that may cause drug shortages and the quality of outsourcing compounding facilities. – by Alaina Tedesco

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