Oversight Democrats Pressing Pharma on Nationwide Medication Shortages

Members of the House Oversight Committee have sent letters to three pharmaceutical companies, asking for answers about medication shortages and price gouging.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington on Oct. 3, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

House Oversight and Accountability Committee members have sent letters to major pharmaceutical companies, pressing them for a briefing about the nationwide shortages affecting certain drugs. Letters have been sent to Pfizer, Sandoz, and Teva Pharmaceuticals USA.

According to the Feb. 21 press release from the oversight committee helmed by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md), oversight Democrats released a report in December 2021 concluding that after a three-year investigation of the pharmaceutical industry, certain companies had raised prices of common brand-name drugs by nearly four times the rate of inflation from 2016 to 2020.

“Today’s letters launch an investigation that builds on the Committee’s previous work to ensure all medications are easily accessible to those who rely on them,” the committee said in a statement.

“Committee Democrats request the drug manufacturers provide information related to the shortages no later than March 6, 2024, to help determine root causes and practical solutions needed to remedy them.”

According to the oversight committee, Pfizer and its subsidiaries are major manufacturers of carboplatin, cisplatin, and methotrexate, which are common generic drugs used to treat cancer. Intermittent and repeated shortages have impacted patients across the United States. In the letter to Albert Bourla, chairman and CEO of Pfizer, the oversight committee asked for a briefing and information about why there are ongoing shortages and to address allegations of price gouging.

“At certain points in 2023, up to 90 percent of hospital systems lacked consistent access to these medications, and in many instances, oncology practices were forced to ration doses or provide less desirable alternatives to a patient’s recommended treatment,” the letter said.

“One patient, for example, reported that they were forced to undergo an amputation to treat aggressive bone cancer when two of three necessary prescriptions were unavailable in 2023.”

The common antibiotic amoxicillin was also named by the committee as one of the drugs causing concern.

They described Sandoz as one of the top manufacturers of powder amoxicillin, which has been in short supply since October 2022. In September 2023, Sandoz issued a public media statement attributing the antibiotic shortage to market conditions. According to the pharmaceutical giant, low price points were forcing manufacturers to exit the market, exacerbating the shortage.

“It is important that pharmaceutical companies such as Sandoz continue to produce sufficient amoxicillin to meet seasonal demand even amidst lower financial incentives,” oversight Democrats said in their letter to Sandoz.

“To better understand the amoxicillin drug shortage, including its root causes and practical solutions we can take to remedy it, we request information regarding the steps your company is taking to respond to ongoing shortages of powder amoxicillin.”

In the final letter, the oversight Democrats asked Teva Pharmaceuticals, one of the largest manufacturers of Adderall, to explain why there has been a shortage of Adderall and its generic equivalents since at least Oct. 12, 2022.

“We are concerned that a prolonged shortage of Adderall and other stimulant medications has left patients struggling to treat conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, binge-eating disorder, and narcolepsy for well over a year,” the oversight Democrats said.

“Our constituents share story after story detailing how hard it is to fill prescriptions for Adderall and that the shortage affects every element of their lives.”

The Epoch Times has contacted Pfizer, Sandoz, and Teva Pharmaceuticals for comment.