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MaineHealth feeling impact of drug shortage

MaineHealth has identified nearly 40 drugs that they are running low on, including morphine and BCG, a drug used to treat bladder cancer.

PORTLAND, Maine — Maine Medical Center is running low on morphine, and it's not the only drug they are seeing a shortage of.

"What's most terrifying is the impact it can have on patients," said Chief Pharmacy Officer, Brian Marden.

Marden said MaineHealth has identified nearly 40 drugs they're running low on. Some drugs, they don't have at all, including the drug called BCG, which is used to treat bladder cancer.

"We have to make decisions in those rare circumstances about how we use that very limited supply or if we don't have it at all, what we are going to use as an alternative," said Marden.

It's not just here, hospitals and clinics across the country are feeling the impact. 

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, drug shortages are not only increasing, but they are also lasting longer. The FDA said one of the reasons is pharmaceutical companies don't have incentives to produce drugs that are less profitable.

"At a time when prescription drugs are already far too high, these shortages add to that pressure," said Senator Susan Collins.

The complaints are reaching Sen. Collins'. She recently introduced a bipartisan bill with a Senator in Minnesota, requiring more reporting to the FDA, when a manufacturer anticipates there will be a shortage of certain drugs.

"It also requires manufacturers to have redundancy and contingency plans and to provide for a way to deal with a shortage," said Senator Collins.

Right now, MaineHealth is doing everything it can but said it's incredibly stressful when a doctor or nurse looks into a patient's eyes and tells them they don't have the drug they need.

"Especially when you are treating someone with cancer, that's frightening," said Marden.

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