Hepatitis B Virus
Several significant cholangiocarcinoma risk factors identified
HBV exposure 4 times higher among female vs. male meth users
Janssen, Arrowhead initiate dosing in multi-combination HBV study
Patients with ‘double negative’ HBV at treatment end less likely to relapse
Immunotherapy effective for many patients ineligible for registration trials, but caution necessary
Hepatitis B vaccine shortage: Unknown impact on future disease

Drug shortages continue to inundate our health care system. They have paralyzed pharmacies and affected hundreds of thousands of patients. Although drug shortages are not new, they have significantly increased since 2007. From 2006 to 2007, there was nearly a 50% spike in shortages, and the number of shortages has remained high annually, with the highest number — 267 — reported in 2011. The cause of drug shortages is multifactorial and many times unpredictable. Manufacturing and quality issues, delays in production, raw product availability, discontinuations by manufacturers, and natural disasters are noted to be the major reasons for shortages. Drug shortages present a serious public health challenge and a strain on the health care system from a resource management perspective. Also, they contribute to an increase in overall health care costs. The FDA, professional organizations (eg, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists) and pharmaceutical companies have committed to manage and prevent shortages and are working to identify key strategies and solutions to minimize harm to patients.