Investigation looks into why US hospitals face drug shortages – Pharmaceutical company chase profits

CBS News (5/22, Whitaker, 5.39M) reports, “American hospitals have been living with serious drug shortages for more than a decade. Most days, nearly 300 essential drugs can be in short supply.” CBS says, “After months of investigation, we found it’s not a matter of supply and demand, the drugs are needed and the ingredients are easy to make, it’s that pharmaceutical companies have stopped producing many life-saving generic drugs because they make too little profit.” However, “year after year, the government stays on the sidelines as companies take drug production offline – and doctors worry the shortages are compromising patient care.” The FDA is mentioned.