With the new coronavirus in full force, many people are worried about falling ill. Some countries are using sanitizing gates. Others are calling off school or keeping people quarantined. In general, people are trying to do what they can to stay calm while still mitigating their risk.
There is no question that COVID-19 is dangerous, but something else that can be is how an outbreak of a virus is handled. There is a real risk that vaccines for the virus, which are not presently available, could be rushed and dangerous. On top of that, there could be shortages of the medications that are needed, leading to real shortages of the products that people need to stay safe.
Did you know that the Food and Drug Administration is not allowed to identify if a drug is running out? It also has no right to discuss where the ingredients for the drugs you take come from, which can pose a significant problem when supplies start running low. While there is the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act that stipulates that the organization has to let the public know about shortages, the FDA doesn’t have to do this if it could “adversely affect public health,” such as by causing people to hoard their medications.
It’s important to learn more about where your medications come from, drug shortages and what happens to keep patients safe in emergencies. If a drug is made inadequately, or if recalls aren’t made because of shortages, then patients could suffer serious consequences. If you’re concerned, then this is something that you may want to discuss with both your attorney and your doctor.