I use Flonase, a common allergy medication. I ordered a refill yesterday from the local pharmacy, and when it failed to arrive this afternoon, I called. The pharmacist told me that it was on "Manufacturer's Back-Order."

I said, "Well, I guess people are starting to stockpile things, huh?"

She replied, "I'm not sure, but we've had a lot of these type of 'every day' medications coming into short supply. All the pharmacies are in the same shape, or we'd just send somebody to pick up a few bottles."

Say what you will, but people are already hoarding. It's a shame, too. Now, I'll have to use one of the bottles I had already stashed.

Zev

-- Zev Barak (zev@no.com), November 24, 1999

Answers

Zev,

: ) Aren't you glad you had the foresight to think to do that?

In my 'other' life , I traveled quite a bit. I got in the habit of asking my physician for samples of any prescriptions he gave me, in addition to the regular 'script, so I would have a supply to take with me, and one for home. In doing this, I was able to always have a little 'extra' to tide me over in case I couldn't get to the pharmacy.

Just checked my 'traveling supplies'...yep, they're still good. : )

-- Wilferd (WilferdW@aol.com), November 24, 1999.

Many pharm companies/distrubutors have been limiting the amounts a given pharmacy can order of certain drugs for several months now. Sometimes it is an arbitrary limit per order, but some manufacturers have placed a hard limit based on previous years usage. This is on top of back orders. (I have a pharmacist in the phamily)

Pharmacy as an industry is sweating cash flow problems. About a month ago there was an article in the WSJ about Rite-Aid and the difficulties it was having swallowing and digesting acquisitions--and one of those named was PCS (Pharmaceutical Card Systems) a third party payer of drug insurance programs. Not mentioned was that PCS is everywhere----it has accounts payable to nearly every pharmacy in the country. Should Rite-Aid fall over and take PCS with it.....every community will feel it.

Canada Healthcare is where we will be by spring next year.

-- JIT (justintime@rightnow.net), November 24, 1999.

Large pharmacy in Central Florida has been limited to the same quantity of medications sold as last year. Pharmacist has verified there has already been a shortage of some medications.

-- the Virginian (1@1.com), November 24, 1999.

My utmost gratitude again to the then-complete stranger on this board who offered, out of the blue, to obtain crucial medication for me during a Mexican trip. I now have nine months' supply, over and above what I need till the end of the year. That's a big weight off my shoulders. Thanks again, S.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), November 24, 1999.

Another fly in the ointment has been at least one major drugstore octopus cutting their on-hand stock quotient to enable a greater expansion into the marketplace.

-- flora (***@__._), November 24, 1999.

And yet, a couple of my clients who work (as mucky mucks) for a large (virtually original) national HMO which shall remain permanentely nameless tells me that the pharmaceutical co's have a 6 month long pipeline.

chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), November 24, 1999.