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have we run short on and what effect is that having? How has the coronavirus affected the already dwindling healthcare worker situation? How does the lack of PPE fit in? Let’s examine these questions.
Drug Shortages Drug shortages have occurred for a number of years. In the first part of 2018, there were
202 different drugs that were in short supply. The pandemic has done nothing but exacerbate an already serious problem.
Azithromycin In late March 2020, President Trump started tweeting about
a possible treatment for coronavirus, the combination of hydroxychloroquine (an anti-Malaria drug) and azithromycin. He called the combo “one of the biggest game-changers in the history of medicine.” One thing that people need to realize is “
fake news” exists, particularly on social media, and as a personal account with no evidence or clinical trials to back it up, this testimonial definitely falls into fake news territory. Whether it’s misinformation or disinformation may depend on your own interpretation of intent. Regardless, these two drugs have seen increasing demand. Premier, a business that supplies health care services, reported that
demand for azithromycin increased almost 200% during March alone, while the fill rate of the drug dropped to 60%.
The shortage of azithromycin, in particular, has been problematic as it is used to treat sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). There has been an epidemic of STDs in recent years, with the rates of
infections reaching record highs in 2018. In addition, azithromycin is the only FDA-approved drug to treat pregnant women with
Chlamydia, so, for them, shortages of the drug are particularly alarming. In addition to STDs, azithromycin is used to treat sinus infections, tonsillitis, and pneumonia.
Other Drug Shortages There have also been shortages of a number of other drugs, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Many of these drugs are those primarily used to treat severely ill coronavirus patients within intensive care settings. “Roughly half of all drugs in shortage are injectables, including analgesics, sedatives, and paralytics used for intubating critically ill patients,”
states the American Medical Association.
Then, there are other drugs that are in short supply that medically have nothing to do with the actual supply chain. Due to mayhem ensuing from the coronavirus pandemic, patients have been
panic buying their prescription medicines, much like they did toilet paper and disinfectants. In this case, however, these shortages should correct themselves in time.
Other COVID-19 Healthcare-Related Problems Drug shortages are not the only healthcare-related problems due to the pandemic. There are also staff shortages in many hospitals and nursing home facilities as well as a scarcity of PPE and other necessary medical supplies to not only treat coronavirus patients but to keep both healthcare workers and patients safe.
Healthcare Staff Shortages The United States has an aging population. In fact, the amount of seniors is
projected to increase by 100% between 2006 and 2013. Due to this, the number of healthcare workers facing retirement, the upsurge in people with chronic illnesses, and the lack of training facilities for new healthcare professionals, there are major healthcare staff shortages. This has only gotten worse due to coronavirus.
The pandemic has nurses and other health care workers risking their lives, but, in some cases, their working conditions are increasing the risks to their patients. For example, in Wisconsin, due to the shortage of qualified nurses, some nurses are working at
multiple nursing homes. This greatly increases the risk of contagion to residents. Doctors and nurses are
not the only healthcare workers at risk during this pandemic, either. Let’s not forget about the thousands behind the scenes as well as nursing and medical assistants who risk their lives every day.
Lack of Personal Protective Equipment and Supplies In addition to shortages of vital healthcare personnel, there has been a shortage of essential healthcare supplies. Roughly 50% of the world’s facemasks, for example, were
made in China prior to the pandemic, and as coronavirus spread across China, exports of the masks were halted. Now that they have started exporting masks again, China has been sending out “goodwill” packages to countries that need these masks, and the U.S. has not received many.
PPE has also not been available for many healthcare workers in some of the hardest-hit areas, and healthcare workers are risking their lives to care for their patients. In Ohio,
1 out of 5 of those diagnosed with the virus is a healthcare worker. Other shortages are happening too, particularly in light of the
recent surge in cases. Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital in Houston, Texas, exhausted its supply of intensive care hospital beds and needed to send roughly 12 patients to other hospitals for intensive care treatment. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has also announced that to relieve hospitals in the city, it would start admitting coronavirus-positive cancer patients.
The coronavirus pandemic has affected our entire society negatively, with the pharmaceutical companies and healthcare field at the top of the list. Due to the scarcity of vital drugs, cases of STDs are expected to peak. In addition, the lack of healthcare workers and PPE, in addition to the lack of other health-related equipment, is causing nightmare conditions and endangering many lives. No one, especially the healthcare industry, will come out of this predicament unscathed.
Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle,
Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources (http://www.pharmamicroresources.com/)
Effective disinfection of surfaces, instruments and hands is critical to minimize infection risks (bacterial, fungal and viral) in hospitals especially during the current global pandemic. This requires the selection of the most appropriate disinfectants, their correct application, and an assessment of their capability to inactivate or kill microorganisms. There is a wide choice of disinfectant formulations available and it is essential to ensure the most appropriate disinfectants are selected for the use for which they are intended and are then used correctly. 