Supply Chain Issues Impacting Pharmacies

[JCSR]

But, it can’t be true. I’m a conspiracy theorist…

Isn't everything until proven true ? I can't find anything on-line about progress on the Kodak facility. I hope it's underway .

 

[mbills2223]

But, it can’t be true. I’m a conspiracy theorist…

I'll be really blunt (and I did NOT read those articles, this is just a tangent), I don't think people would like what may happen to drug prices if we bring manufacturing back to the US. One thing I know for sure about PBMs, they aren't going to eat price increases, and the pharmacy cannot.

 

[Bill2905]

Not only boosters, but CVS has cancelled our appointments for shingles vaccines and flu shots. Thought CVS was a BIG outfit that could get anything we needed. Ended up going to Kroger pharmacy the same day.

A few years ago, I found CVS to be unreliable for getting refills on my BP meds. On one occasion, my doc had to prescribe me another equivalent med because CVS didn't have stock of what I needed. A second time, they transferred my Rx to Walgreens who had it in stock. I assumed that it was due to a recall on other related drugs but then learned it was just a CVS issue. I switched to Walgreens and have not had any issues since.

Another possible issue that could be causing them to cancel immunization shot appointments is not enough staffing at the store.

 

[BugI02]

I'll be really blunt (and I did NOT read those articles, this is just a tangent), I don't think people would like what may happen to drug prices if we bring manufacturing back to the US. One thing I know for sure about PBMs, they aren't going to eat price increases, and the pharmacy cannot.

Would those people be willing to pay more if the other choice was to have no medicine at all?

 

[mbills2223]

A few years ago, I found CVS to be unreliable for getting refills on my BP meds. On one occasion, my doc had to prescribe me another equivalent med because CVS didn't have stock of what I needed. A second time, they transferred my Rx to Walgreens who had it in stock. I assumed that it was due to a recall on other related drugs but then learned it was just a CVS issue. I switched to Walgreens and have not had any issues since.

Another possible issue that could be causing them to cancel immunization shot appointments is not enough staffing at the store.

CVS is in the midst of a huge staffing shortage. That happens when you treat employees the way that they do! As far as supply issues at CVS, a big part of their problem is that 90%+ of their inventory is warehoused at the corporate level. They work with a handful of manufacturers to get really good prices on routine drugs. If a drug happens to be out of stock at the wholesaler they use (which they own a large share of), then they aren't going to get the drug anytime soon. Most other pharmacies have more flexibility, and independents have the most flexibility. For example, I have accounts at probably 30 different wholesalers that I can leverage if our primary and secondary are out.

 

[mbills2223]

Would those people be willing to pay more if the other choice was to have no medicine at all?

Truthfully? I'd say 75% of people (speaking on my patient base) would go without meds if the price went up more than a couple bucks. I routinely see people wanting to walk away over copays below $5.

 

[buckwacker]

Truthfully? I'd say 75% of people (speaking on my patient base) would go without meds if the price went up more than a couple bucks. I routinely see people wanting to walk away over copays below $5.

It would seem either taking that drug must not be terribly important to their health, or they don't really care about their health.

 

[buckwacker]

Someone up thread posted that the us population consumes 40% of the world's pharmaceutical ingredients but we're only 4% of the world's population. If we truly consume 40%, I'd say were way overmedicated, and the pharma\medical industry is in desperate need of a real, thorough, truly objective investigation.

 

[Bill2905]

Someone up thread posted that the us population consumes 40% of the world's pharmaceutical ingredients but we're only 4% of the world's population. If we truly consume 40%, I'd say were way overmedicated, and the pharma\medical industry is in desperate need of a real, thorough, truly objective investigation.

I wonder if our pharmaceutical consumption would fall in line with the rest of the world if we moved to a rationed healthcare system like other countries. I'll freely admit that I don't question the drugs I am prescribed because my employer provided healthcare plan pays for them.

 

[JCSR]

Please keep these coming !​

Women And Prescription Drugs: One In Four Takes Mental Health Meds​

 

[KMaC]

The elderly use more drugs than other segments of society and the elderly are not going to benefit from the wealth redistribution that Dems are pushing. Most of the elderly are not financially well off and inflation will impact them more severely than the working segments that will see income rise.
Social Security will increase 5.9% for 2022. Unfortunately, Medicare Part B premium will increase 14.5% and the deductible will increase 14.7%. This further strains low income elderly's budget,
Bottom line, general inflation, health insurance and drug cost increases may force low income elderly to make a choice as to which drugs they must have and which drugs they can still afford with the money that's left.

 

[cbhausen]

CVS is in the midst of a huge staffing shortage. That happens when you treat employees the way that they do! As far as supply issues at CVS, a big part of their problem is that 90%+ of their inventory is warehoused at the corporate level. They work with a handful of manufacturers to get really good prices on routine drugs. If a drug happens to be out of stock at the wholesaler they use (which they own a large share of), then they aren't going to get the drug anytime soon. Most other pharmacies have more flexibility, and independents have the most flexibility. For example, I have accounts at probably 30 different wholesalers that I can leverage if our primary and secondary are out.

I was told by CVS in Brownsburg they were THREE DAYS BEHIND on filling prescriptions. When I expressed concern about losing an infected tooth scheduled for root canal this week my prescription for Cephalexin was ready in 15 minutes. Go figure…

 

[BugI02]

Someone up thread posted that the us population consumes 40% of the world's pharmaceutical ingredients but we're only 4% of the world's population. If we truly consume 40%, I'd say were way overmedicated, and the pharma\medical industry is in desperate need of a real, thorough, truly objective investigation.

I wonder if the metric is by weight/dose or by dollar value. Quite often we pay high multiples of the price given by the same company to other countries for the same drug because they have national health care systems that have bargaining power in such negotiations. That would skew any measurement by dollars spent

The answer to that problem is to shut down their ability to recoup lost profits by just charging US customers more. Although some anti-gouging limitation for pricing, perhaps restricting US pricing to some small multiple of the lowest price offered else where, which failure to comply with would trigger the ability to use other countries as middle men as with the current grey market with Canada

I wonder if our pharmaceutical consumption would fall in line with the rest of the world if we moved to a rationed healthcare system like other countries. I'll freely admit that I don't question the drugs I am prescribed because my employer provided healthcare plan pays for them.

I feel that would be more horrible than any of us could possibly imagine, with the destruction of the existing system taking place before its replacement has been designed and vetted. A virtual field laboratory for unintended consequences

Remember how wonderful Obamacare turned out to be for anyone already insured. Pay more and get less while the layabouts get insurance for 'free'

Mo' .gov, mo' problems

 

[mbills2223]

It would seem either taking that drug must not be terribly important to their health, or they don't really care about their health.

I serve one of the most poverty stricken areas in the state, if not the country. Most of them really can't afford it. We aren't talking pain meds or sedatives...I'm talking about BP meds, cholesterol meds, diabetes meds. Things that won't kill you right now if you don't treat, but they will over time.

I was told by CVS in Brownsburg they were THREE DAYS BEHIND on filling prescriptions. When I expressed concern about losing an infected tooth scheduled for root canal this week my prescription for Cephalexin was ready in 15 minutes. Go figure…

Yeah, the three days behind is on the maintenance/autofill stuff. Most pharmacies will still push waiters to the front, especially acute stuff like antibiotics or short term pain meds.

 

[paintman]

I was in cvs and Walgreens Friday. Both were packed. The Walgreens was telling several people they didn’t have stuff in stock and I was there to pick up the second parts of my sons antibiotic. They only had half of it on Wednesday and got the second part Friday so I had to go back to pick it up. Walgreens also had a notice that they would be closed this weekend due to staffing.

 

[cbhausen]

These are just a little taste of, appetizers if you will, of what a complete breakdown of society would look like.

 

[1gunaholic]

These are just a little taste of, appetizers if you will, of what a complete breakdown of society would look like.

I certainly hope not

 

[Percolater]

In the hospital environment, Epinephrine is the main "heart med" shortage concern, and has been all year. These include emergency syringes used for ACLS (cardiac arrest, anaphylaxis, symptomatic bradycardia, etc.) are not available. Lido w/epi used to maintain anesthesia during surgery is either being compounded by pharmacy, or therapeutic equivalents are being used. Pharma companies are instructing to not discard expired meds, and extend the expiration dates as they deem necessary. Districts have stockpile of ready to use syringes for EMS to use for ACLS, but hospitals supplies are dwindling.

 

[mbills2223]

In the hospital environment, Epinephrine is the main "heart med" shortage concern, and has been all year. These include emergency syringes used for ACLS (cardiac arrest, anaphylaxis, symptomatic bradycardia, etc.) are not available. Lido w/epi used to maintain anesthesia during surgery is either being compounded by pharmacy, or therapeutic equivalents are being used. Pharma companies are instructing to not discard expired meds, and extend the expiration dates as they deem necessary. Districts have stockpile of ready to use syringes for EMS to use for ACLS, but hospitals supplies are dwindling.

Ooof

 

[Ingomike]

Isn't everything until proven true ? I can't find anything on-line about progress on the Kodak facility. I hope it's underway .

This is what I suspected in my post. Posted above confirming…

New York AG petitions for Kodak CEO to testify in insider trading case

New York Attorney General Letitia James Tuesday announced that she has filed a petition to have Kodak CEO Jim Continenza publicly testify in her investigation into insider trading connected to Kodak's $765 million deal to make generic drug ingredients.

www.whec.com