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Drug shortage hurting Canadians: Survey

Written by: Jonathan Sher, QMI Agency
Jan. 14, 2013

LONDON, Ont. — A nationwide drug shortage that forces patients to go without needed medication or take less effective or riskier alternatives is compromising Canadians' health, a survey of doctors and pharmacists suggests.

That drug shortage has worsened since 2010, according a survey of more than 1,070 members of the Canadian Pharmacists Association, Canadian Medical Association and Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists in October 2012.

"Let there be no doubt — these results demonstrate that drug shortages remain a serious problem in the Canadian health-care system,” sDoug Sellinger , president of the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, said Monday.

“Patients are suffering, and the ability of health providers to deliver quality care for all Canadians is being compromised.”

The shortage is also forcing doctors and pharmacists to spend time searching for drug sources rather than providing front-line care.

"Patients who can't get the medicines they need pay a terrible toll,” said Dr Anna Reid, president of the Canadian Medical Association.

“The commitment of physicians and other health-care professionals has helped to lessen the impact on their patients, but it comes at a price: Time better spent with patients is instead being used by physicians to identify alternative drugs and therapies,"

According to the report, 94% of pharmacists struggled to source a medication the week of the survey, 66% of physicians said shortages have become worse since 2010, and 64% of physicians and 41% of pharmacists said shortages had consequences for patients.

 

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