Drug Shortages Issue in the National News
by Matt Farber, Director of Provider Economics and Public Policy, ACCC
The topic of critical drug shortages has gotten a great deal of attention in the national media, thanks in part to efforts of oncology organizations and individual providers who have worked to raise awareness of the issue. On February 13, both the NBC Nightly News and the CBS Evening News ran stories on cancer drug shortages. With more people aware of the problem, the more likely Congress and the FDA will move to fix it. Two weeks ago ACCC wrote about the perfect storm that has led to record numbers of drug shortages and what FDA is doing to alleviate the problem.
It appears that the advocacy efforts of many ACCC members in writing to their local papers and to their Congressional delegations are starting to pay off—and it’s important to keep this momentum going. Continue to make your voice be heard on this issue. ACCC is supporting a new bill in Congress addressing the drug shortage issue, HR 3839, the Drug Shortage Prevention Act of 2012. You can help by writing in support of HR 3839 as well. Go to ACCC’s Contact Washington page to personalize a letter and have your voice be heard.
Stay tuned to the ACCC website for the latest on issues in healthcare before Congress and be sure to attend the ACCC 38th Annual National Meeting March 12-14 in Baltimore, MD, to learn more about these and other issues facing the oncology community.
It was also discussed on NPR’s Morning Edition about a week ago.