The FDA is launching a Drug Shortages Task Force to address shortages of medically necessary products.
Here's what you should know:
1. The FDA's Associate Commissioner For Strategic Initiatives Keagan Lenihan will lead the task force. It will include FDA, CMS and Department of Veterans Affairs representatives.
2. The group is charged with looking for "holistic solutions to addressing the underlying causes for the shortages," according to a July 12 statement by FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD.
3. The task force expands upon the work of a group created by the FDA Safety and Innovation Act of 2012.
4. The task force plans to engage the public and hold a meeting with stakeholders in the coming months.