Why Society Is Running Out of Vital Medications

Economic laws keep most industries running smoothly. But medicine can be different—and right now it's out of control.
By Edward Tenner
May 3 2011

Just as Japanese officials predict that disruptions from the earthquake and tsunami may last all year, The Washington Post reveals a crisis that may take more lives than the Fukushima nuclear tragedy—shortages of essential pharmaceuticals:

A record 211 medications became scarce in 2010 — triple the number in 2006 — and at least 89 new shortages have been recorded through the end of March, putting the nation on track for far more scarcities.
The paucities are forcing some medical centers to ration drugs — including one urgently needed by leukemia patients — postpone surgeries and other care, and scramble for substitutes, often resorting to alternatives that may be less effective, have more side effects and boost the risk for overdoses and other sometimes-fatal errors.

Three factors are contributing to the emergency: major companies abandoning production of drugs that have lost patent protection, tougher regulation of production by the FDA (according to the industry; the agency denies this), and especially the globalization of manufacturing... the rest image by Casey Fleser