President Barack Obama is directing the Food and Drug Administration to take part in helping reduce the amount of drug shortages. Patient deaths have been blamed on the shortages, and the possibility has been raised that the escalating problem could lead to price gouging. Hospitals short on vital supplies such as cancer drugs, electrolytes used in IV fluids, and anesthetics have been forced to buy from secondary suppliers.
Obama’s planned executive order would instruct the FDA to take action in three areas: it would broaden reporting of potential drug shortages, accelerate reviews of production applications for drugs facing shortages, and give more information about possible price gouging. The executive order would be the latest effort by the White House to enact change on areas not requiring congressional approval.
