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Drug Shortages and High Prices Affecting Care
A nurse practitioner recently prescribed a seven-day supply of doxycycline. Shortly thereafter, a pharmacist called and asked if she could prescribe another antibiotic for the young man because he had no insurance. "Why?" the nurse asked. "He can't afford $5?"
"It's not $5,'' the pharmacist replied. "It's $157.'' The nurse called another pharmacist and the cost there was $135. "There's a big shortage of doxycycline,'' the pharmacist told her. The nurse said that for a long time, the drug was easily available and typically cost $4 or $5. In fact, she said, "just a year ago it was even free at the local (�) pharmacy."
The doxycycline episode illustrates the vague pricing of drugs, devices, and medical procedures. This summer, the CDC advised that because of the continuing shortage of doxycycline, the drug should be used only for conditions that have no alternative treatments such as rickettsial infections, prevention of Lyme disease after a tick bite, and prevention and treatment of malaria.
The nurse, a former president of the Georgia Nurses Association, said she finally prescribed another antibiotic, one that cost about $25, for the chlamydia patient.
http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/health/2013-10-21/drug-shortages-price-spikes-affecting-care
Cheaper Drugs Overseas Attractive to Consumers
The high price of drugs in the U.S. has left millions of Americans lying and committing fraud and other crimes to get their medicines. Recently in the New York Times, they featured an article about the high costs of drugs based on reports from hundreds of readers who shared their strategies related to acquiring needed drugs, such as getting a physician to prescribe twice the needed dose and cutting them in half, or "borrowing" medicines from a friend or relative with better insurance coverage. Many are seeking drugs from overseas even though this is generally illegal, according to the FDA. Despite this, the Canadian International Pharmacy Association fills prescriptions for one million Americans each year.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/23/health/as-drug-costs-rise-bending-the-law-is-one-remedy.html?_r=0
CFC-Containing Inhalers Phasing Out by the End of the Year
CFC-containing inhalers will be phased out by the end of the year to comply with international treaties intended to protect the ozone layer. Only two remain on the market and include Combivent Inhalation Aerosol and Maxair Autohaler. The FDA advises seeking alternative treatments.
http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-inhalers-cfc-phaseout-20131023,0,5971829.story#axzz2iereAYGd
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