Anesthesiology News published a commentary by John G. Brock-Utne, MD, PhD (2018;44[12]:5,7), which maintained that the blame for current drug shortages should go to group purchasing organizations (GPOs). That commentary elicited the following letter in support of GPOs.
Ongoing prescription drug shortages continue to be a public health crisis and jeopardize patient access to essential medications. For anesthesiologists in particular, these impacts are especially acute, with over 98% of American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) members noting that they regularly experience drug shortages for commonly used drugs like hydromorphone (Dilaudid), fentanyl, morphine, bupivacaine, and epinephrine.1 Health care GPOs are critical partners helping hospitals and the health care system prevent and mitigate the impact of drug shortages by working collaboratively with hospitals, physicians, manufacturers, distributors and government agencies to ensure that hospitals and patients have access to the lifesaving drugs they need.
As the sourcing and purchasing partners to virtually all of America’s 7,000+ hospitals, GPOs have a unique overview of the conditions that give rise to drug shortages, which—as the FDA has repeatedly identified—are primarily caused by quality-control problems, manufacturing issues and barriers to getting new suppliers online.
The Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA) and its member GPOs have leveraged their unique line of sight over the entire health care supply chain to advocate for policy solutions that increase competition and help avoid shortages. For example, HSCA provided feedback to the DEA regarding a proposed rule on annual opioid production limits.2 HSCA urged the DEA to differentiate between outpatient/oral narcotics and inpatient/injectable opioids, many of which are currently already in shortage and are an essential element of treatment for inpatient post-surgical and medical pain management.
HSCA also recently participated in a drug shortage working group along with the ASA and other leading health care provider organizations to develop recommended policy proposals to help prevent and address drug shortages.
Ongoing drug shortages are a complex problem without an overnight fix. GPOs will continue to work in lockstep with hospitals and anesthesiologists to mitigate the impact of drug shortages and advocate for enduring policy solutions that protect patients and empower health care providers to provide first-class patient care.
Todd Ebert, RPh, is the President and CEO of the Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA).
References
- www.asahq.org/ about-asa/ newsroom/ news-releases/ 2018/ 04/ anesthesia-drug-shortages-negatively-affecting-patient-care
- www.supplychainassociation.org/ 2018/ 05/ 04/ hsca-comments-on-dea-proposed-rule-on-opioid-production-limits/
- www.supplychainassociation.org/ wp-content/ uploads/ 2018/ 05/ hsca_statement_on_president_.pdf
- www.supplychainassociation.org/ 2018/ 06/ 07/ hsca-letter-re-the-creates-act-s-974/
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