Who would have thought the artificial forcing of lower prices for prescription drugs would make supply more scarce? Anyone who took Econ 101 and learned about simple supply and demand. It appears federal government’s policies to force lower prices for some drugs made manufacturing those drugs less profitable. This reduced supply but had no effect on demand. The result? Shortages. Welcome to the new Soviet Union. Get in line for your cancer drug if you live long enough to take it.
Headlines have focused on shortages of the ADHD drug Adderall and new weight-loss treatments, which owe to increased demand. But most drugs in short supply are older generics that are off-patent and complicated to make. Manufacturers have stopped producing them because profit margins are too thin, resulting in one or two suppliers.
Generic manufacturers typically operate at full capacity and often use one production line to produce multiple drugs. If a plant experiences a quality or cross-contamination problem, an entire production line must shut down, which can affect multiple drugs for months. Other generic manufacturers can’t easily ramp up production.
Why Cancer Drugs Are Being Rationed – WSJ (No Paywall Link)
Perhaps if we didn’t waste billions on unnecessary COVID-19 vaccines there would be money for… oh… CANCER?!?
Sheesh. We really have reached peak stupid.