Evidently, it can be claimed that the USA is currently facing a critical drug shortage. This is notable on issues concerning health provisions and medical supply. Currently, it is observable that some hospitals in the US can hardly satisfy the demands of their patients in the realms of medication and other relevant services due to emerging drug shortages in the country (FDA 1). Globally, the demand for drugs has increased considerably while the supply trends are diminishing.
It is critical to understand that companies accredited to manufacture viable drugs are overwhelmed by the increasing global demands for drugs, emerging economic crisis, high production costs, technological issues, and other relevant medical challenges. These have disallowed most of them in meeting the increasing demands for drugs in the US and beyond. Additionally, some patients have been reported to miss proper drugs on shortage grounds.
Concurrently, some of them (patients) have to travel long distances in search of good healthcare facilities and appropriate drugs. This evidence is critical as indicated earlier. In the absence of such shortages, patients cannot move from one state to another in search of good healthcare facilities and drugs.
Although the Obama’s government has suggested various steps meant to curb the alleged drug shortage, the concerned strategies have not been established, ratified, and embraced fully. The US’s population is increasing considerably while the prominent healthcare facilities and drug manufacturing companies have hardly expanded their production plants in order to meet the escalating global demands for drugs.
Consequently, the country has become a victim of drug shortage. In this context, it is important to agree that the US is compelled with drug shortages based on numerous factors and pressures exerted on the available health facilities. It is crucial to understand such provisions in the medical context in order to comprehend the concerned medical challenges (FDA 1). The increasing costs of medication within the US and beyond are strong evidence.
It is agreeable that when the supply of a given product is low, the demand will be higher, and cost might consequently be higher. This indicates that the supply of drugs in the US has decreased (shortage) while the demands for such drugs have escalated leading to the increase in costs. Conclusively, the evidence of drug shortage in the US (at present) is strong and discernible.
If a significant shortage exists, what is the evidence that it is creating problems for the healthcare system?
Viable evidence indicates that drug shortage in the US is creating significant problems in the healthcare system. Firstly, there is minimal efficiency in the healthcare system with regard to medical and operational proficiency. Doctors demand appropriate and adequate drugs in order to execute and accomplish their duties considerably. Inability to attain these demands might compromise the quality of healthcare provisions and other related concerns.
Precisely, the foremost evidence is the inefficiency emerging in the healthcare sectors due to the inadequacy of drugs (IMS 1). This is a critical problem in the healthcare system. Additionally, the situation is compromising the quality of healthcare provisions both at the state and federal settings.
The problem has also caused an escalation of medication costs hence rendering healthcare provisions unaffordable to many people. Numerous people cannot afford quality medication and viable healthcare provisions. Additionally, drug shortages have posed economic challenges within the US and beyond. This indicates how drug shortage might affect the healthcare system.
Works Cited
FDA. Current Drug Shortages. 2012. Web.
IMS. The IMS Institute examines the drug shortages problem from an entirely new angle. 2012. Web.