Obama Moves on Drug Shortages
President Barack Obama on Monday signed an executive order aimed at remedying the U.S. shortage of crucial medicines including cancer drugs, but the initiative falls short of what the Food and Drug Administration has said it needs to fix the problem.
The order asked the FDA to press drug companies for advanced notice when a manufacturing glitch could create shortages of life-saving medications. It asked the agency to speed reviews for companies wanting to make a drug in short supply and to alert the Justice Department when the agency sees signs of drug sellers charging exorbitant prices for scarce medicines. None of the changes appear to grant the FDA new authority.
Monday’s move was the latest effort by the White House to show that the president is taking unilateral action in the face of congressional gridlock. Last week, Mr. Obama announced a modest initiative on veterans, as well as more substantial but still limited initiatives on housing and student loans. None require congressional approval.
“Congress has been trying since February to do something about this. It has not yet been able to get it done,” Mr. Obama said before signing the drug order. “And it is the belief of this administration…that we can’t wait for action on the Hill.”
The FDA reported a record 178 drug shortages in 2010 and has said there is a greater number of shortages so far this year. Most of the shortages involve older, generic drugs administered by injection. Along with cancer drugs, they also include antibiotics to treat infections and nutritional drugs for patients who can’t eat.
Legislation to ease the shortages has been pending in both houses of Congress. There is little evidence the Obama administration had done much to push it forward until it endorsed the stalled bills Monday.