NCPA was featured in a recent Vox story by veteran reporter Keren Landman, a physician who covers a range of health care industry topics, about national drug shortages and what patients can do to secure medication amid supply chain issues. She interviewed NCPA’s John Beckner, who suggests finding a local independent pharmacy (using our pharmacy locator) and calling ahead by a few days. Independent pharmacies, he says, are “less likely to just say ‘We’re out of stock,’ [and] they’re going to explore other means to try and obtain that drug.” Landman goes on to explain the “manifold” reasons drug shortages are at a 10-year high including the FDA’s inspection backlog, the reduced ability pharmacies have to order controlled substances in the midst of an opioid abuse crisis, and because “patient outrage never reaches the supply chain.” You can read the piece in full at Vox, and also join Beckner as the new host of Independent Rx Forum, NCPA’s podcast (available at Apple, Spotify, Audible, and other outlets, as well as NCPA.org).
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