According to Drug Shortages and the Burden of Access to Care: A Critical Issue Affecting Patients with Cancer, “pharmaceutical companies have an ethical and legal responsibility to safely manufacture and distribute pharmaceuticals to patients, providers, and healthcare systems (Bloch, J., PhD, McKeever, A., PhD, Bratic, A., PA-C, 2013).” Yet, patients are still not able to get their medications. On the other hand, “healthcare providers contend that delivery of care is influenced by profit margins of those pharmaceutical companies… who decide drug cost and reimbursement (Bloch, J., PhD, McKeever, A., PhD, Bratic, A., PA-C, 2013).” A response was brought up addressing the responsibility of pharmaceutical companies and the argument of the healthcare providers. The response stated, “until healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies agree on systematic process of how to handle a drug shortage…they are left to decide how best too protect their own interest… (Bloch, J., PhD, McKeever, A., PhD, Bratic, A., PA-C, 2013).” In addition, “when healthcare providers are forced to select alternative chemotherapeutic agents because of unforeseen shortages and choose alternative protocols based on availability…patient safety and care are compromised, which creates substantial ethical and legal issues… (Bloch, J., PhD, McKeever, A., PhD, Bratic, A., PA-C,
According to Drug Shortages and the Burden of Access to Care: A Critical Issue Affecting Patients with Cancer, “pharmaceutical companies have an ethical and legal responsibility to safely manufacture and distribute pharmaceuticals to patients, providers, and healthcare systems (Bloch, J., PhD, McKeever, A., PhD, Bratic, A., PA-C, 2013).” Yet, patients are still not able to get their medications. On the other hand, “healthcare providers contend that delivery of care is influenced by profit margins of those pharmaceutical companies… who decide drug cost and reimbursement (Bloch, J., PhD, McKeever, A., PhD, Bratic, A., PA-C, 2013).” A response was brought up addressing the responsibility of pharmaceutical companies and the argument of the healthcare providers. The response stated, “until healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies agree on systematic process of how to handle a drug shortage…they are left to decide how best too protect their own interest… (Bloch, J., PhD, McKeever, A., PhD, Bratic, A., PA-C, 2013).” In addition, “when healthcare providers are forced to select alternative chemotherapeutic agents because of unforeseen shortages and choose alternative protocols based on availability…patient safety and care are compromised, which creates substantial ethical and legal issues… (Bloch, J., PhD, McKeever, A., PhD, Bratic, A., PA-C,