FTC, HHS Request Patient Information on Drug Shortages, Pharmaceutical Middlemen
February 21, 2024 To what degree are ongoing nationwide ADHD drug shortages worsened by the role of pharmaceutical middlemen?
This is the subject of a public inquiry recently launched by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which issued a joint Request for Information (RFI) on February 14.The public has until April 15 to publicly submit comments at Regulations.gov.The RFI asks patients to submit comments, documents, and data regarding how the practices of two types of pharmaceutical drug intermediaries — group purchasing organizations (GPOs) and drug wholesalers — may contribute to generic drug shortages, including how both entities may influence the pricing and availability of pharmaceutical drugs.“When you’re prescribed an important medication by your doctor, and you learn the drug is out of stock, your heart sinks,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a press release. “This devastating reality is the case for too many Americans who need generic drugs for ADHD, cancer, and other conditions.
Today’s announcement is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to tackle healthcare monopolies and lessen the impact on vulnerable patients who bear the brunt of this lack of competition.”More specifically, the federal agencies say they aim to learn:Since the U.S.
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