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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by friendly pitviper on February 8, 2012, at 20:23:08
Hi. It seems that, at least in the States, there is a plague of drug shortages. I was wondering if anybody knows the cause of this and when (or if) it's expected to be fixed. I've been having to get one of my meds from a compounding pharmacy which is both inconvenient and expensive. Is anybody else having problems with this? I've heard about shortages of a lot of other drugs as well so it's not just the one I'm having trouble getting.
TIA,
-the friendly viper
Posted by Phillipa on February 9, 2012, at 10:27:48
In reply to drug shortages, posted by friendly pitviper on February 8, 2012, at 20:23:08
No not for me what kind of meds? Phillipa
Posted by ed_uk2010 on February 9, 2012, at 15:16:49
In reply to drug shortages, posted by friendly pitviper on February 8, 2012, at 20:23:08
> Hi. It seems that, at least in the States, there is a plague of drug shortages. I was wondering if anybody knows the cause of this
Which meds are you struggling to obtain?
Posted by friendly pitviper on February 10, 2012, at 8:11:59
In reply to Re: drug shortages, posted by ed_uk2010 on February 9, 2012, at 15:16:49
Buprenorphine injectable. I'm not having problems obtaining it, it's just more expensive: my only options are to get it from a compounding pharmacy (fortunately there's one where I live) or get the brand-name product, Buprenex, which is apparently available. I am trying to find out whether my insurance will cover Buprenex under these circumstances. This is only one of a large and growing number of shortages, though. A lot of the drugs affected are injectables and biologics, which are more difficult to produce and require additional safety precautions. They include extremely important drugs, such as chemo drugs and anaesthetics.
Posted by ed_uk2010 on February 11, 2012, at 7:21:42
In reply to Re: drug shortages » ed_uk2010, posted by friendly pitviper on February 10, 2012, at 8:11:59
With respect to generic injectables, few manufacturers make these products compared with widely prescribed tablets/capsules. This could be part of the problem, especially for products which are not very profitable.
Posted by friendly pitviper on February 14, 2012, at 17:22:05
In reply to Re: drug shortages » friendly pitviper, posted by ed_uk2010 on February 11, 2012, at 7:21:42
> With respect to generic injectables, few manufacturers make these products compared with widely prescribed tablets/capsules. This could be part of the problem, especially for products which are not very profitable.
I'm sure it's part of the problem. But why so sudden, and why _now_? I never had trouble getting this drug until recently; retail pharmacies might not carry it, but they could order it. (Getting someone to *prescribe* it, now, that was the tricky part!) Now the problem is at the manufacturer level. And the government websites say that the greater part of the shortages have to do with quality control (though some are profit-related too). I heard a rumor which I'm hesitant to repeat because it's rather, er, politically loaded, but I'm very curious about it. I wonder if anyone else has heard the same rumor.
-pitviper
Posted by ed_uk2010 on February 15, 2012, at 14:35:54
In reply to Re: drug shortages » ed_uk2010, posted by friendly pitviper on February 14, 2012, at 17:22:05
>With respect to generic injectables, few manufacturers make these products compared with widely prescribed tablets/capsules. This could be part of the problem, especially for products which are not very profitable.
>
> I'm sure it's part of the problem. But why so sudden, and why _now_? I never had trouble getting this drug until recently; retail pharmacies might not carry it, but they could order it. (Getting someone to *prescribe* it, now, that was the tricky part!) Now the problem is at the manufacturer level. And the government websites say that the greater part of the shortages have to do with quality control (though some are profit-related too). I heard a rumor which I'm hesitant to repeat because it's rather, er, politically loaded, but I'm very curious about it. I wonder if anyone else has heard the same rumor.
>
> -pitviperMay I ask why you are using injectable buprenorphine? The sublingual tablets might be suitable.
This is the end of the thread.
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