New Legislation for Drug Shortages Praised by Health Care Groups

Multiple health care organizations, including The American Hospital Association (AHA), the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), are showing their support for the federal Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages (MEDS) Act.¹

The MEDS Act, introduced in the Senate Tuesday by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Tina Smith (D-MN), provides increased authority for the FDA, enhanced manufacturing reporting requirements, and new market-based incentives. This initiative was created to help mitigate the risks drug shortages pose to both patients and the health care system. ¹

Following the 200 plus drug shortages reported in 2018, health care organizations are ready to help advance the MEDS Act, they said in public statements.¹

“We strongly support the MEDS Act as an important step toward ending drug shortages and believe that it will achieve lasting solutions, including requiring manufacturers to be transparent about causes of drug shortages and sources of active pharmaceutical ingredients while also establishing contingency plans to maintain supplies in the event of manufacturing disruptions,” said ASHP CEO Paul W. Abramowitz, PharmD, ScD, FASHP, in the statement. ²

AHA Executive Vice President Tom Nickels also publicly shared his support for the MEDS Act, while thanking the Senatos for their bipartisan commitment to the issue.

“We look forward to working with Congress to advance the MEDS Act, which will help prevent, mitigate and resolve drug shortages and secure the supply of these life-saving products for patients and the hospitals and health systems that proudly care for them.”¹

Other health care organizations showing support of the MEDS Act include the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

REFERENCES

• Healthcare groups applaud new legislation to address drug shortages [news release]. Washington, DC; October 29, 2019: American Society of Anesthesiologists. https://www.asahq.org/about-asa/newsroom/news-releases/2019/10/healthcare-groups-applaud-new-legislation-to-address-drug-shortages. Accessed October 29, 2019.
• ASHP statement on the mitigating emergency drug shortages act [news release]. ASHP Press Releases: October 29, 2019. https://www.ashp.org/news/2019/10/29/ashp-statement-on-the-mitigating-emergency-drug-shortages-act. Accessed October 29, 2019.