Avid Bioservices Inc (CDMO)

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DRUG SHORTAGES AT ALL TIME HIGH ….

Finding just what the doctor ordered is getting increasingly difficult as more and more prescription drugs become scarce.
From household names like Adderall and Ozempic to cancer treatments, a record 323 drugs were in short supply during the first quarter of 2024, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) reported recently. The ASHP, which has published the metric since 2001, says the number of hard-to-get drugs has surpassed the previous record high from a decade ago.
It’s hard to overstate the stakes: Not having the right medication on hand is forcing doctors to prescribe alternatives that are often inferior to Plan A treatments. With patient well-being on the line, healthcare regulators are scrambling to find a panacea for a problem that’s been festering since 2021.

Diagnosing a cause
Experts cite a variety of reasons for the widespread shortages: Surging demand can lead to scarcities for drugs like Adderall, which is being prescribed extensively via telehealth, as well as the buzzy weight-loss drug Ozempic.
US regulations incentivize the makers of generic drugs to compete on price, diminishing the motivation for pharma companies to produce them.
Injectables like Ozempic are manufactured through a heavily regulated, technically difficult process that can easily derail.
The Biden administration announced a $5 billion plan earlier this month that it says would help keep pharmacy shelves stocked. It aims to boost transparency in obscure pharma supply chains by tasking an independent organization with scoring manufacturers on their production resilience and quality. Private hospitals that work with reliable generic drug suppliers would be rewarded with extra cash, while those who don’t would be penalized.

The ASHP criticized the proposed penalties, arguing that hospitals that don’t have the means to comply with the requirements would take a financial hit.
Looking ahead: The plan will remain just a plan until lawmakers in Congress agree to greenlight it.

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