Federal Lawmakers Zero in on Injectables Shortages

Our friends over at Repertoire have posted an interesting entry on their blog devoted to the widespread shortage of injectables. Apparently, the issue has become serious enough to gain attention from federal lawmakers, who have proposed legislation that would give the market a heads-up about anticipated shortages.

From the numbers we've seen, it looks like the legislators have a good reason to be worried. A July-December 2010 study of 228 hospitals and other healthcare sites revealed that:

• 98 percent experienced shortages that resulted in increased costs
• 89 percent experienced shortages that maybe have caused a medication safety issue or error in patient care
• 80 percent saw shortages that resulted in a delay or cancellation of a patient care intervention

There are far more details on Repertoire's blog and it's really compelling reading. To read the complete entry, click here.