Why I can’t find my medicine?
In the past three months we’ve faced a lot. We battled social isolation, fear, and uncertainty, among other things. In my clinical practice I have handled anxiety, depression and many other mental health conflicts. Recently we are facing another challenge, the shortage of some drugs usually prescribed to our patients.
More and more patients are calling my office because their medications are not available in the various pharmacies. And what’s that for? The answer is not as simple as it seems, as the link between the production and distribution of medicines is a complex one.
Usually manufacturers produce the drug which passes to a wholesale distributor or drugstores that dispatch them to the patient. There are a variety of reasons for drug shortages. According to the University of Utah’s drug shortage research program identified several reasons why we can’t find some medicines in the pharmacy. Among them, they identified manufacturing problems (23%), supply/demand problems (13%), as the most commonly known causes of scarcity. However, a much higher percentage of drug shortages (55%) were classified as due to “unknown” causes.
We have to consider other factor that might interfere with scarcity. Sometimes the raw materials to produce the medicines are not available, perhaps the distribution chain is affected due to the high use of shipping companies, some natural disaster affecting the production or distribution, federal or state regulations, and the high cost of producing or maintaining a continuous inventory of some of these drugs.
As you can imagine this creates challenges for patients, family members, doctors and pharmacy employees. There are many patients who have achieved stability with their treatment, who may be forced to change it due to unavailability. Others have to go from pharmacy to pharmacy, hoping to find their medicine; and when they get it, they often don’t have the full amount to cover the recommended 30 days supply.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides a list of drugs that are in short supply (https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/drugshortages/). In it we can see some of the stimulant medications which are used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and other medications for mental health conditions are currently on short supply.
This situation affects us all. And unfortunately, we have no control over his cause. It takes great importance that you maintain direct communication with your doctor in case you have difficulty getting your medicine. In this way they are provided with alternatives.
By: Dr. Mario R. González Torres MD, Adult, Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist
