Issue #2: The Latest in Critical Care, 5/22/23
In The News
Drug shortages in the flawed generic drug supply chain are leading to overt rationing of vital drugs including cisplatin (a cornerstone of chemotherapy treatment for some cancers) and other serious conditions. Surveyed gynecologic oncologists recently reported chemotherapy shortages in 35 states (including at large cancer centers). The basic problem is consolidation of the U.S. generic drugmaker buyer market (about 90% of generic drug purchases are made by three buyers on behalf of pharmacy giants like CVS, Walmart, and McKesson). The buyers pit U.S. generic manufacturers (whose number has increased somewhat) against India’s lower-cost generic drugmakers. When the Indian companies bid down drugs below the point of profitability for U.S. manufacturers, they stop producing them, and when the Indian manufacturers do not then produce enough to meet U.S. demand, shortages result. Another vulnerability resulting from market consolidation: when the sole producer of a drug goes out…
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