The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it wants to more aggressively fight medication shortages that have led to rationing of some drugs and disrupted patient care.
The agency announced plans for a task force to find ways to improve the supply of crucial drugs. It’s a new approach for the drug regulator, which has very little control over drug makers’ operations. It generally can’t act until drug makers tell the agency that shortages are imminent or that it will stop making a drug.
FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said the agency will ask Congress for the authority to allow it to intervene. He said he has a clear idea of changes needed in the FDA’s powers, regulations and drug reimbursement policies.
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