A nationwide drug shortage has caused patients to endure unnecessary discomfort, preventable complications and longer hospital stays, leading to millions of dollars in extra hospital costs, the report said. Most of the hard-to-find drugs in question are generic surgery sedatives, antibiotics and painkillers.
A new crop of wholesalers known as “gray market” pharmacies purchase prescription drugs in short supply from credible wholesalers and resell them to physicians and hospitals at greatly marked-up prices, intending to capitalize on the current drug shortage. There are currently no laws curbing these practices.
“If it’s not illegal, we’re going to have to find a way to make it illegal, because this threatens virtually every person in the country,” said Rep. Elijah Cummings in an interview with the Associated Press.
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