Is there a pharmaceutical shortage now?

[Ohiogal]

My husband and I tried to obtain a shingles shot as per doctor's orders today, and was told there's a nationwide shortage of them. The pharmacist said they only get a few in per week and there's a waiting list of about a hundred people.

At the same store, I noticed there was a sign on the shelves by the Advil announcing that there's a nationwide shortage of Advil. I saw about half the usual number of boxes of Advil on the shelves.

What's going on???

[elleng]

1. I don't know about a general shortage.

As to the shingles shot, doesn't seem to be a problem here, tho it does have to be ordered in advance, which my pharmacist did after receiving the 'call' from my doc.

I received the first shot after waiting about a month (I wasn't anxious to start the process,) and will return for the booster in November (my decision) after I call to confirm with pharmacy.

[Ohiogal]

4. I was told

to just put our names on the waiting list and they'd call us when they got to us. Not all that encouraging!

[ismnotwasm]

2. There are shortages of a lot of things

This site tracks them https://www.ashp.org/Drug-Shortages/Current-Shortages/Drug-Shortages-List?page=CurrentShortages

[Ohiogal]

3. Wow, all these things are in short supply?

Is this normal?

[ismnotwasm]

18. It's been going on for a while--its Very frustrating

I don’t know about normal. I know we didn’t used to worry about narcotic shortages or normal saline bags

[badhair77]

5. Is this the newer shot?

My dr recommended my husband and I get one even though we had one several years ago.

[Ohiogal]

7. Yes.

You have to get two shots, within 6 months of each other.

[badhair77]

13. Thanks for starting this thread. An important topic.

[Ohiogal]

17. You're welcome!

And I often count on DUers for answers to things like this!

[elleng]

11. Yes, new shot.

Why You Should Get the New Shingles Vaccine
https://www.democraticunderground.com/11832868

[badhair77]

12. Thanks. It was on my list of things to do.

[customerserviceguy]

33. I read that thread

but I still don't know if I should get the new shingles shot, as I've already had one outbreak of shingles. It was relatively minor, compared to what I've heard can happen, and it was nine years ago, with no recurrences. My doctor told me at the time that it might come back, and it might not.

I'm not an anti-vaxxer by any means, but I tend to be wary of any new drugs/treatments that come out after only a limited amount of testing by Big Pharma. I like to wait until a sizable number of users have tried something, and the attorney firms out there are not seeking clients to sue over the new treatment.

[elleng]

34. I'd be wary too, as you've already had one outbreak.

[Old Vet]

24. Intresting, My dad got his shot today at the VA and had one one year ago...........

He was telling me how sore his arm was....

[rurallib]

6. I was told the new two step shot would not be available until January

that was about a month ago. No reason given other than it was so new.

[Ohiogal]

9. Thanks!

No one seemed to have a reason for it in my experience, all they told us what that "there's a nationwide shortage".

[marble falls]

8. Shortages do keep prices and proffits up.

[Ohiogal]

10. No doubt!

[Doremus]

21. That's what I'm thinking too. Capitalism and all that rot.

[marble falls]

22. Corporations influence hunger and food prices by exploitng natural disaster. The corporation that ..

provided the container loads of bottled water that till today still haven't been handed out Puerto Rico and all those rolls of paper towels that cheetolini did hand out got paid.

We have to whip out the vote.

[LiberalArkie]

14. If the market runs out of supplies quickly, then the price is too low... Law of supply and demand

[karynnj]

15. For the shingles shot, I think the problem is that this is a relatively new shingles vaccine

that is supposed to be 95 percent effective if you have the two doses vs 65 percent effective for the older one shot version. Many of my friends and I are over 65 years old-- all have been told to consider the new vaccine and most are getting it. My husband and I will have our physical in December, but we were told by the pharmacist to get on the waiting list last week when we had the flu shots last week.

From the reactions of my friends, I can see why there is a huge demand based shortage.

[donkeypoofed]

16. Don't worry too much about it

There are natural ways to tale care.of shingles (apple cider vinegar, DMSO, etc.

I don't know why they made a shingles vaccine anyways. Getting it once is uncommon; twice is rare and 3 times is unheard of. But hey, Big Pharma wants money!

[Horse with no Name]

20. Shingles are horrible and can kill the elderly

Please don’t peddle antivax stuff here.

[marble falls]

23. Its a choice. There are reasons for both schools.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

25. I don't think shingles kills.

Yes, it's nasty and painful, but probably not fatal.

[Siwsan]

29. I developed Shingles this Spring. I am convinced my use of Turmeric tempered the problem

I wouldn't discourage people from getting the vaccine but a friend who had the most extended and painful experience developed Shingles months after getting the vaccine.

I have a very strong immune system, so the turmeric, nightly soaks in Epsom Salts baths and coatings of an anti-itch, analgesic gel got me through the experience. I developed a few blisters and the rash, while very uncomfortable, never turned into the nightmare situation my friend experienced. The thing I wasn't expecting was the extended period of numbness that happened after the rash cleared. I could still feel a mild itch, but scratching was a waste of time.

[Horse with no Name]

19. Yes there are shortages. They aren't being talked about but

They are impacting patient care.
The majority of the issue is that many pharmaceutical/medical device manufacturing plants are in Puerto Rico. Draw your own conclusions about the shortages starting there.
I wasn’t aware of this initially until we had to start allocating IV fluids, IV meds, etc.
I don’t know why this isn’t playing on a nonstop loop on TV due to the national shortages.

[blondebanshee]

26. Drug shortages pose a public health crisis in the US

On June 12, the American Medical Association announced that drug shortages pose an urgent public health crisis. This crisis should be of concern to all Americans.



[link:https://theconversation.com/drug-shortages-pose-a-public-health-crisis-in-the-us-98295|

[blondebanshee]

27. Also, there's this: America Depends on China for Medicine

"There was country of origin labeling legislation put forward about ten years ago, but it was immediately killed. And when I asked an industry person to describe why that happened, this person said, “Well, the industry probably thought it wouldn’t be good for their customers to know where their medicines are being made.” And that’s because in a poll from the Pew Trust, only 6% of Americans trust medicines made in China. So, companies have good reason to hide it.” Rosemary Gibson, author of “China Rx: Exposing the Risk of America’s Dependence on China for Medicine.”



[link:https://ralphnaderradiohour.com/america-depends-on-china-for-medicine/|

[NutmegYankee]

30. I'm surprised 6% trust China.

Stories of their corruption are well known. https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/06/world/americas/06poison.html

[pat_k]

28. National level of stress...

Trump is making us sick.

Wouldn't surprise me if the demand for medications that treat stress-related illness is outrunning supply. (And a lot of illness is directly or indirectly related to stress)

Advil shortage: Trump-induced headaches on the rise.

FDA calls a Public Meeting for Nov 27
Identifying the Root Causes of Drug Shortages and Finding Enduring Solutions;

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/09/10/2018-19612/identifying-the-root-causes-of-drug-shortages-and-finding-enduring-solutions-public-meeting-request

(I don't actually know if the number of shortages is up, but could probably figure out with a closer look at trends in shortage reports and news at https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/drugshortages/default.cfm

[mucifer]

31. It's very stressful working in hospice these days because of the shortages

Ah the wonders of deregulation!

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

32. My husband just turned 50 and the doctor recommended he get the new shingles shot.

I got my flu shot this week from Walgreens and asked about the new shingles shot. She said that it was on backorder until November.

[Crunchy Frog]

35. Yes. We're turning into the old Soviet Union. n/t

[Meowmee]

36. I had

A tetanus / pertussis shot last week due to a cut. I wanted pertussis as well since I refused it last time and I’m high risk. The doc said ins will only cover it if you teach grade school or work with the public etc. I do teach. But last time, about 6 years ago, it was included with tetanus automatically. No mention of a shortage though. I haven't noticed shortages, just the saline bags last year. My cat was on fluid but we managed to get what we needed. You can just take aleve or the generics, there is no shortage of them. I recently bought a huge bottle of acetomenaphin.