NASEM report examines medical product shortages during disasters

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine has released a report summarizing its Sept. 5-6 workshop on medical product shortages during disasters and opportunities to better predict, prevent and respond to shortages. The Department of Health and Human Services asked NASEM to convene the workshop in response to the shortage of intravenous saline solution exacerbated by the 2017 hurricane season. AHA, which participated on the workshop planning committee, last year called for a comprehensive strategy to address these and other critical drug shortages. In July, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., convened an interagency task force to report to Congress on the root causes of drug shortages and recommend new federal authorities to address them. FDA will hold a public meeting Nov. 27 to receive stakeholder input on the issue.