Patients miss out on treatment as drugs sold abroad

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8516080.stm

quote:

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain says drugs manufacturers and wholesalers are limiting the supplies they send individual pharmacies.
This means that when pharmacists exceed their quota, they are having to spend hours negotiating for extra supply, which sometimes takes weeks to arrive.

It all just stinks..........

It sure sounds sinister to me. Have to womder if this type of manipulation of pharmaceuticals has been going on all along, and we were unaware.Something else is troublesome. On Oct 19,2009 the EPDA posted a news article about the shortages ...
"Starting in late 2009 and continuing into 2011 Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited (MSD) will experience a significant global supply shortage of SINEMET® and SINEMET CR® (carbidopa-levodopa controlled release)...."

Today, nearly 4 months later the BBC reports: "The Royal Pharmaceutical Society says urgent action is needed and that patients' lives are being put at risk.

It says UK pharmacies face increasing shortages of over 40 well-known drugs used to treat conditions like cancer, high blood pressure and epilepsy.

Ministers have promised an emergency summit into the issue.The problem seems to be caused by the weak pound which makes it more profitable to sell medicines abroad....

and "The Department of Health has promised an emergency summit next month to look into the issue. " http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8516080.stm

Just wondering why it wasn't until now that its being considered an emergency? What were those responsible for public health doing since the first annoncement?

more creative chaos.

"All the world's a stage....we are the players.

Switzerland will get a “very restricted” supply of BOTH sinemet CR AND the traditional sinemet; essentially L-dopa that has been the center of PD treatment for 50 years.
Press release from Swiss PD org.
Says Merck announced very restricted supply for Switzerland for 2010 too 2011.
Information IMPORTANTE
Pénurie de Sinemet® / Sinemet CR®
En raison d’un problème dans leur chaîne de production/livraison, la société
Merck Sharp & Dohme Ltd. (MSD) a annoncé qu’elle ne pourra livrer les
médicaments antiparkinsonien Sinemet® et Sinemet CR® que de façon très
restrictive et ce, du début 2010 à 2011.
Parkinson Suisse, case postale 123, Gewerbestrasse 12a, 8132 Egg,
Tél. 043 277 20 77, Fax 043 277 20 78, E-Mail: info@parkinson.ch

Meanwhile, back at head office, all is good:
WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., - According to an 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. will cut about 15 percent of its workforce and eliminate approximately 2,500 vacant jobs.
The Whitehouse Station, N.J., company said layoffs will affect all areas of the company worldwide and should be accomplished by the end of 2012. Merck said it will achieve reductions by eliminating duplicative positions in sales, administrative and headquarters offices, as well as from the consolidation of manufacturing plants and research and development operations.
For its 2009 fiscal year Merck reported net income of $12.9 billion, or $5.65 per share, up 65 percent from the previous year. Revenue jumped 15 percent to $27.43 billion.

Hello Switzerland and Australia ! Countries 141 and 142

About Merck from the company's Web site-

Today's Merck is working to help the world be well. Through our medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer and animal products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to health care through far-reaching programs that donate and deliver our products to the people who need them. Merck. Be Well. For more information, visit www.merck.com.

Canadians won't have to worry - Medtronic has two new brain stimulators just introduced! (Now all of you get to your doctor and get scheduled for surgery, ya hear!)

One never knows what political games are played at the expense of patients, do they?

being intentionally sarcastic
Peg

It would make a great sitcom. A group of Parkies constantly trying to figure out what exactly is going on.

WONDERland Bob! We're in it and doing it!!

Lindy

I was thinking, given the paradoxes and mysteries particular to the Parkie universe warrants a new board game. Really, the possibilities are endless:

-A space that reads "GO directly to DBS, do not pass Go"

-A "Get out of Dyskinesia Free" card.

-A space that reads "You've been misdiagnosed!" now lose six turns, then roll the die, lose one turn, head back to "Start all over again"

-A limbo space marked "Global Sinemet Shortage" where you sit until either you roll three snake eyes in a row or successfully pull off the other option of a Sinemet drug heist.

The list goes on. Seriously, has anyone considered trying to storm the Bastille so to speak? Why don't we take this public and protest, or write Michael Moore to pester the CEO of Merck until we have some real answers?!?

I have visitors, one with pd and her husband so we can't resist:

From a caregiver: "Lose turn, do not pass go, do not collect 5 billion dollars, serve five more years in parkieland."

and-

"Trial halted. Forfeit all future trials."

"Purchase medical consultants."

"Owner of medical consultants wants to buy a hotel."

"Free railroad purchase. 14 year lease."

"Global warming - limit drug supply to non British Commonwealth countries."


paula