Excerpt
RAY SUAREZ (Newshour): There have been more than 250 drugs declared in short supply in the past year. The latest worries centered around a pivotal one called Methotrexate. Used to treat several kinds of cancers, Methotrexate is considered essential in battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia among adults and especially among children.
ALL is the most common form of cancer in children, affecting about 3,500 kids in the U.S. each year. Late last year, one of four U.S. manufacturers of the drug was forced to shut down a plant, triggering alarms that hospitals could run out of the drug within days.
This afternoon, FDA officials told the NewsHour and other news organizations they have a plan that will avert the shortage. But there are still questions being asked about the problem.
This subject highlights a fault in our economic system when it comes to health. The real solution to ALL generic drug shortages is to have an economic system that allows the generic industry to make enough money to modernize their production facilities and remain in business. I would support government subsidies if no other solution is found.
The base cause of generic drug shortage is that big-pharma abandoned production of these drugs because the drugs were not profitable enough. Typical money before human beings industry attitude.
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