Action Sought To Stem Record Shortage of Medicines
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- A 4 year-old child with leukemia joined U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, pharmacists and others on Friday in calling attention to a record shortage of vital medicines for cancer and other diseases.
The child was able to secure the drug he needed with extraordinary help from Children's Hospital, but Klobuchar said the shortage in general is a serious problem.
"There's been 178 drug shortages in 2010 -- not individual instances, but actual drugs," said the Minnesota Democrat.
Klobuchar is promoting a bill to address the shortage.
She said her legislation would "make the drug companies at least notify the FDA when they believe there's going to be a shortage of a drug."
She said shortages of medically necessary drugs reached a record high last year.
NewsRadio 830 WCCO's Steve Murphy Reports
