The USA and a couple of advanced countries, chiefly the UK and Australia, have been experiencing an ongoing severe shortage of prescribed medications.
Most of the drugs in short supply are injectable, such as cancer drugs or medications that are needed in the emergency room to save lives. Obviously this shortage is putting innocent lives at risk, in addition to forcing hospitals to buy medications from black market suppliers at additionally marked up prices (As if Americans aren’t gouged enough!).
Because I work within the Medical Tourism industry www.medtourservices.com I contacted advanced, American quality hospitals in Costa Rica, Mexico and India. I discovered that these countries are not experiencing any problem attaining needed medications. Isn’t that strange?
Our government is investigating the cause for the prescription drug shortages. Congressional hearings were presented on CSPAN earlier this week. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/301725-1
Mr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary to the Department of Health and Human Services, stated that the USA requires all medications sold in the USA to be made in the United States. If there is a shortage, for whatever reason, it takes years to get through the red tape to receive imported drugs.
However Dr. Sandy Kweeter who is with the FDA stated that if she receives a call concerning a critical drug shortage, it only takes her office a couple of weeks to safely import and inspect needed pharmaceuticals from a foreign country.
But the pharmaceutical companies are not notifying anyone of medication shortages, and unfortunately the pharmaceutical companies are not required to notify anyone of possible or realistic shortages.
Also I would like to add that during this hearing a citizen brought up the fact that it seems the less profitable drugs are the medications that are in such short supply. Isn’t that odd?
Representative John Shimkus (R – IL) wanted to know why the free market isn’t taking care of this problem? One possible answer is that the free market isn’t the best entity to regulate health care. As we all are aware, the health care free market in the USA has basically created a monopoly that is free to gouge the consumer.
This problem with the pharmaceutical companies has personally affected me. I have a condition called gastroparesis, which is basically a very slow digestive system that can be quite problematic. The USA allows a few drugs to treat this condition, the two most popular are Reglan or an antibiotic. Reglan if taken continually over time can cause severe nervous system damage, because it crosses the blood brain barrier. If one takes an antibiotic for long periods of time, they are at much higher risk of developing serious side effects that can be life threatening.
The safest drug to treat Gastroparesis is called Domperidone. This medication does not cross the blood brain barrier, so this drug successfully treats gastroparesis with little to no side effects around the world. Plus it’s been around for decades. So what’s the problem? This medication is not allowed into the USA. Apparently the FDA and pharmaceutical companies have decided that Domperidone is not profitable enough. This medication is extremely inexpensive compared to the unsafe alternatives.
So what is the truth concerning the medication shortages in the USA? Until the truth is uncovered, it’s important to remember that the world is an open door of health care choices. If the United States does not have what you need, consider looking elsewhere. Maybe then the decision makers will finally start working for the people, rather than only considering profit.
If I need a pain med, which I have twice in the last three years, I need generic oxy-codone without any acetominophen. I puke anything else, and morphine cause me to experience spasms in the sphincter of odi. Don’t ask and pray you never have to google sphincter of odi whilst have spasms in the self same sphincter. I always have problems getting this particular med and have to fight like crazy to get it. My best advice is to go to the pharmacy dressed for church, or court, or a funeral. Put on your very, very, very conservative best, your funeral suit and your gold bling, for example, and then submit your Rx. Don’t hand in your Rx in comfy cloths. Go to the pharmacy looking like a lawyer, a good lawyer. The Dr is always OK with comfy clothes, even more sympathetic, but the f..king pharmacist? Watch out!!!!
This seems to work even for non-pain meds, re facebook friends anywho, meds like cancer drugs and Parkinson meds. A good suit can save your life….try it!
You can buy Domperidone at any compound pharmacy. I used it to increase my milk supply when nursing. It is not sold in the US because it can lead to potentially fatal heart conditions. However, the side effect is rare and a person would need to weigh the risk before making that choice. But, yes, you can get it here.
Jackie – Upon my investigation, the only pharmacy I could find in the USA that would compound Domperidone, if my memory serves me correctly, was located in Ohio, where the doctor was located. Apparently this physician set it up.
Possibly Domperidone is more readily available now days? That’s news to me!
As for the fatal heart condition, yes this side effect is a possibility, but quite rare. I recall the doctor discussing this possibility. As for the side effects of the two popular drugs currently used in the USA, Domperidone is extremely safe as well as effective.
JP, the article clearly states that the investigation is ongoing. In other words, those answers you’re looking for are still being found. That doesn’t mean we don’t want to hear about the problem. I think the problem can be summed up pretty tidily by your statement “drug companies are not altruistic organizations.” As an American, I want to pay taxes and be ensured that my ability to receive medical treatment will not depend on whether or not my condition is a profitable one for drug companies. I’m fine with someone profiting from my penchant for chocolate, or cute shoes, or zombie movies. I’m not so fine with people profiting from my sickness or death. As a teacher, I’m paid to do my job. I don’t make extra money if my students are less intelligent. I don’t get a bonus for assigning my students extra work. I am compensated for my contribution to society, but I don’t profit from my neighbor’s lives getting worse. It’s time for the medical field to work the same way.
“Apparently the FDA and pharmaceutical companies have decided that Domperidone is not profitable enough.”
That’s a rather broad assertion to make. It really needs some supporting evidence (which I was expecting and hoping to find in this article). “This medication is extremely inexpensive compared to the unsafe alternatives,” is only an opening sentence to an explanation of the problem.
The drug companies set the price they sell products for. An inexpensive drug would have a higher profit margin. High markup on inexpensive products equals high profits. FDA approval costs, patent rights, and generic brands change this equation.
Are the inexpensive alternatives being kept beyond our borders because the cost of getting FDA approval would never be earned back on their sales? Why? Is it because the patent expired and no name brand would be protected from generic competition?
There’s so much missing from this article.
I sympathize with your inability to better treat your condition. Unfortunately, drug companies are not altruistic organizations.
This article is very disappointing. I expect items on Addicting Info to lay out a case with solid proof. Unfortunately your accusation is left unsupported. This is half an article.
JP: I tend to keep my articles shorter because people tend to avoid reading longer articles. I apologize for my “half article”.
Years ago I found a USA based doctor that was treating patients with Domperidone. If I remember correctly a nearby compounding pharmacy was making this drug for his patients. Unfortunately seeking out the care of this doctor was cost prohibitive for me because I live too far away. And insurance will not pay for my care with this doctor, blood tests, travel, etc.
Long story short I spoke with this doctor on the phone. I asked this doctor why a drug so widely accepted and used worldwide, is not allowed here.
He stated the patent dissolved years ago and the decision makers would make a profit, but these same decision makers don’t want to fiddle with something unless it brings in billions of dollars.
This US based physician treats many people with my condition and the drug Domperidone is extremely safe and cheap. I guess you could say that he is trying to correct a wrong on his own.
Perhaps you are correct when you stated that the cost of getting FDA approval is prohibitive. I don’t know what the cost would be???
The article was about the shortage of meds in the USA. I only used my situation as an example of how corporations control every aspect of our lives. Profits are put ahead of people and Americans are expected to find this acceptable. I understand that one must make a profit to survive, but gouging is just plain wrong. That’s what I see going on, it’s sickening!