In a balancing act between supply and drug quality, the U.S. FDA tipped the scales on behalf of quality, slapping an import alert on Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd. in June, followed by a July 28 warning letter requiring the India-based company to develop and implement a global corrective action and preventive action plan.
Even as the Biden administration pushes for drug imports from Canada as a way to help curb U.S. prescription drug prices, Canada is doubling down on its efforts to protect its supply of drugs and medical devices.
PERTH, Australia – As the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 sweeps across the globe, drugs like Roche Holding AG’s interleukin-6 receptor inhibitor Actemra (tocilizumab) are being used, often off-label, to treat serious cases of COVID-19. That usage, however, is resulting in serious drug shortages that may leave some without treatment options.
Persistent U.S. drugs supply chain vulnerabilities, troublesome even before the COVID-19 pandemic, are drawing new attention in Washington. Now, with growing calls to increase supply chain resilience and a Biden administration executive order calling for an assessment of the situation, experts are looking for new paths to limit the risk of drug shortages, protect patient health, and to address pandemic preparedness and other national and health security threats.
With shortages of the COVID-19 drug, remdesivir, being reported in several states in India, the country’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organization is calling on state regulators to “immediately initiate remedial action to ensure supply of remdesivir injection to public and private hospitals.”
Nearly 40 years on, the generic drug market is often lauded as an American success story. But a closer inspection reveals such back-patting ignores the potential for serious public health risks caused by ongoing shortages in the generic drug supply. It also ignores quality issues and lingering physician and patient doubts about generics, especially those made in other countries.
As the demand increases for ventilators to treat Americans with severe symptoms of COVID-19, another shortage is being exacerbated – a shortage of the drugs needed to treat patients on ventilators.
To mitigate COVID-19-related drug shortages, the FDA issued new guidance reminding drug and biologic manufacturers of their legal obligations to notify the agency, in advance, of interruptions or the permanent discontinuance in the manufacturing of certain drugs. It also makes some new recommendations in light of the current emergency.
