Anonymous
Post 06/01/2013 08:29     Subject: Re:Shortages at Washington-area hospital: Children are Dying
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As someone who works in pharmaceuticals and recently dealt with a shortage. It's complicated. Part of it is supply & demand. Sometimes demand goes up an manufacturers can't react fast enough. There has been a lot of merging & buying of companies. As an example, 10 companies make a generic drug, but only 2 supply the starting material to make it. Those 2 have trouble manufacturing then everyone suddenly can't manufacture it. Profit is another part of the puzzle. If there is no profit, the incentive to manufacture deminishes. Usually a shortage will drive the price up 10-20x. It's not as though drugs grow in trees. They are subject to many market forces. It's unfortunate, but micro premies are incredibly delicate and I would imagine many things could go wrong besides supplement issues.


If the free market can't handle it, then it has to become a basic "commodity" controlled by the govt. That's how things should work.


Has Chavez risen from the dead?

Anonymous
Post 05/31/2013 11:04     Subject: Shortages at Washington-area hospital: Children are Dying
Anonymous wrote:I'm a doc who works in the NICU. This is absolutely a major issue. We are constantly rationing these products, and no baby is really getting optimal therapy. It's also not just babies. Plenty of older patients also need IV nutrition and they are suffering too. Perhaps even more, since we have been prioritizing NICU babies (at least at our hospital - since they are so small a little dose goes farther for them.)

The poster who keeps saying this isn't a big deal is either misinformed or stupid. Maybe both.


+1,000,000
Anonymous
Post 05/31/2013 11:04     Subject: Re:Shortages at Washington-area hospital: Children are Dying
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If this were really an issue, I find it hard to believe that the major medical organizations were not out in front bringing attention to the issue.
I'm also not sure a pharmacist or dietician is qualified to determine the cause of death of a very fragile, sick baby!



I also think the article probably sensationalized the issue. Does anyone really believe that the cause of death on those death certificates was malnutrition? No way. I'm sure the deaths were attributed to "extreme prematurity". Sorry, but not falling for it.



I'm pretty sure that if someone has cancer and cannot get access to the right medications and then dies, their death certificate doesn't say "lack of lifesaving medications." I'm sorry but your response to this article is obuse and outrageously offensive.


+1
Anonymous
Post 05/31/2013 07:02     Subject: Shortages at Washington-area hospital: Children are Dying
I'm a doc who works in the NICU. This is absolutely a major issue. We are constantly rationing these products, and no baby is really getting optimal therapy. It's also not just babies. Plenty of older patients also need IV nutrition and they are suffering too. Perhaps even more, since we have been prioritizing NICU babies (at least at our hospital - since they are so small a little dose goes farther for them.)

The poster who keeps saying this isn't a big deal is either misinformed or stupid. Maybe both.
Anonymous
Post 05/31/2013 03:32     Subject: Shortages at Washington-area hospital: Children are Dying
I recently had 2 and 3 lb preemie twins at an Inova hospital and it terrifies me to think of this going on in the background as they fought for their lives. The March of Dimes should be all over this.
Anonymous
Post 05/31/2013 00:39     Subject: Re:Shortages at Washington-area hospital: Children are Dying
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If this were really an issue, I find it hard to believe that the major medical organizations were not out in front bringing attention to the issue.
I'm also not sure a pharmacist or dietician is qualified to determine the cause of death of a very fragile, sick baby!



I also think the article probably sensationalized the issue. Does anyone really believe that the cause of death on those death certificates was malnutrition? No way. I'm sure the deaths were attributed to "extreme prematurity". Sorry, but not falling for it.



I'm pretty sure that if someone has cancer and cannot get access to the right medications and then dies, their death certificate doesn't say "lack of lifesaving medications." I'm sorry but your response to this article is obuse and outrageously offensive.
Anonymous
Post 05/30/2013 23:38     Subject: Re:Shortages at Washington-area hospital: Children are Dying
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If this were really an issue, I find it hard to believe that the major medical organizations were not out in front bringing attention to the issue.
I'm also not sure a pharmacist or dietician is qualified to determine the cause of death of a very fragile, sick baby!



I also think the article probably sensationalized the issue. Does anyone really believe that the cause of death on those death certificates was malnutrition? No way. I'm sure the deaths were attributed to "extreme prematurity". Sorry, but not falling for it.




What? You think someone is trying to trick you about sick babies? The article pretty clearly pointed out why the trace elements are so critical to diet, how the babies go into liver failure without it, and the rationing that is going on, I don't see where exactly you feel someone is trying to fool you into caring about this issue you think is a non-issue? Yes, they are extremely premature. It's a miracle that modern medicine can save them. Except.....when it doesn't because the basic dietary needs aren't being met.

Also, did you happen to read the part about the older babies, term infants, and even children who are very sick and suffering from the same thing?

Maybe you're just trying to provoke us by saying you "don't buy it?"

Fortunately the FDA is acting.
Anonymous
Post 05/30/2013 23:30     Subject: Re:Shortages at Washington-area hospital: Children are Dying
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If this were really an issue, I find it hard to believe that the major medical organizations were not out in front bringing attention to the issue.
I'm also not sure a pharmacist or dietician is qualified to determine the cause of death of a very fragile, sick baby!



I also think the article probably sensationalized the issue. Does anyone really believe that the cause of death on those death certificates was malnutrition? No way. I'm sure the deaths were attributed to "extreme prematurity". Sorry, but not falling for it.




Did you miss the update where FDA approved the import of injectable nutrition drugs to, you know, combat the shortage? Seems pretty clear that there is/was a pretty serious issue. You're right about one thing, though, I'm sure cause of death wasn't listed as malnutrition -- but rather the resulting organ failure that undoubtedly could've been avoided in some circumstances with proper medications/nutrition.
Anonymous
Post 05/30/2013 22:17     Subject: Re:Shortages at Washington-area hospital: Children are Dying
Anonymous wrote:If this were really an issue, I find it hard to believe that the major medical organizations were not out in front bringing attention to the issue.
I'm also not sure a pharmacist or dietician is qualified to determine the cause of death of a very fragile, sick baby!



I also think the article probably sensationalized the issue. Does anyone really believe that the cause of death on those death certificates was malnutrition? No way. I'm sure the deaths were attributed to "extreme prematurity". Sorry, but not falling for it.


Anonymous
Post 05/30/2013 21:42     Subject: Re:Shortages at Washington-area hospital: Children are Dying
Anonymous wrote:"...the US relies on a 25-year-old lipid emulsion, which is in shortage, while European hospitals use a newer version that’s readily available. Rather than import the newer emulsion, the US has left many patients without any lipids at all. "

What the everloving fuck is this bullshit?!


I know!!! Unbelievable.