Drug companies are stockpiling more drugs in case of Y2K panic (Canada)
http://www.thestar.com/thestar/editorial/updates/business/9911270_Y2K-
MEDICATI.html
NEW YORK (AP) - Major drug companies are boosting their year-end
stockpiles in case of hoarding by people afraid Y2K trouble will cut
off their supply of life-sustaining medication.
Drug manufacturers and pharmacies say they have fixed their computers
to correctly read the date in the new year. Their main fear instead
is overreaction by senior citizens, diabetics and other patients.
``There is a huge supply of prescription medicines, but there isn't
an unlimited supply,'' said Robert Grupp, spokesman for Eli Lilly &
Co. ``Hoarding in one area certainly has the potential to cause some
shortages in another.''
Pharmaceutical companies are also hoping the stockpiling itself
discourages hoarding.
``By virtue of knowing we have more than adequate supplies, that
should give our customers confidence that we can meet any
extraordinary demand,'' said Tom Fuldner, a spokesman at Glaxo
Wellcome.
Glaxo Wellcome boosted inventories of its drugs by roughly 15
percent. Eli Lilly, the No. 1 maker of insulin in the United States,
will have 50 percent more on hand - 45 days' worth instead of the
normal 30 days.
Bristol-Myers Squibb bought extra raw materials, identified
alternative suppliers and kept stocks of partially completed drugs so
it can increase production if needed. Critical care products, such as
those for cancer and AIDS, got special consideration.
At the same time, the pharmaceutical industry is trying to discourage
overbuying, recommending that patients get regular refills five to
seven days before their medication runs out, just as they normally
should. Manufacturers believe they can get drugs to the patient
within that amount of time.
``There could be minor inconveniences from place to place, but those
inconveniences could be overcome,'' said Bristol-Myers spokesman
Patrick Donohoe.
Drug makers said that if they have to, they will be able to get
medication through methods reserved for hurricanes and other
disasters: express mail, chartered planes and emergency deliveries by
police.
William K. Hubbard, senior associate commissioner at the Food and
Drug Administration, said the agency audited manufacturers of the 200
best-selling drugs, as well as companies that are the sole supplier
of a particular treatment. He said he is confident manufacturers will
be ready and found no evidence so far that consumers are stocking up.
Insurance companies and doctors generally limit how much medication a
patient may get at a time. Any significant stockpiling would probably
have to occur over many months.
For the most part, the industry keeps 90 days' worth of drugs on
hand, so drugs for Jan. 1 have already been manufactured. And
although more than half of raw ingredients come from abroad, where
Y2K troubles could be worse, supplies needed for early next year have
largely been delivered already.
Despite the confidence, health care experts offer some tips for
consumers:
a.. Maintain a list of medications used by each member of the family,
along with dosage and the name of the prescribing doctor.
b.. Document important medical information, such as drug allergies.
c.. And carry insurance cards.
Sarah Datz, a spokeswoman for the Rite Aid pharmacy chain, said
pharmacists are trained in filling prescriptions in emergencies, even
if the power goes out and computers go down. CVS Pharmacy aired TV
commercials in November to stress its Y2K readiness and distributed
brochures to customers.
John Koskinen, President Clinton's Y2K czar, said the pharmaceutical
industry withstood past emergencies.
``In all the natural disasters in the last 20 years, nobody has had
to do without prescription drugs for more than 24 to 36 hours,''
Koskinen said. ``The only thing that could sink the system would be
overreaction.''
More Y2K information
http://www.bestnet.org/~jwalker/y2k.htm
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