What to replace your drugs with?

The lack of drugs available in the American pharmaceutical market happens because of numerous reasons. They include:

• A shortage of raw materials;
• Loss of production because of the manufacturing problems (for example, unstably working equipment);
• Damaged pharmaceutical facilities in a result of a natural disaster;
• Low profits of the suppliers, which result in increased prices and low purchasing power.

The number of reasons is huge, depending on the economic, political, and social life aspects of the country. When we speak about the United States of America, a shortage of medications is usually connected with the excessively high prices on brand meds and the impossibility to get cheaper meds at lower prices. The amount of products in the market decreases because of the low demand of the citizens looking for more cost-effective solutions.

Ways the Americans Deal with the Shortage of Meds

Incredibly expensive medicines and pharmaceutical services in the US forces its citizens to side with their neighboring pharmaceutical organizations. Online drugstores hadnt been so popular until Trumps government initiated its activity in the field of medical services and their accessibility.

Prohibitions on sales of certain drugs, as well as import restrictions, resulted in a wave of discontent from the average Americans. Unfortunately, it looks like the American government is not ready to take measures and alter its public healthcare policy so that it becomes more approachable for usual people. Now they have to:

• Turn to over-the-border online pharmacies;
• Consult medical specialists remotely;
• Search for generic medications that can replace their incredibly expensive medication courses;
• Purchase incredible amounts of pills (bulk orders) when suffering from chronic conditions;
• Explore the online pharmaceutical market searching for the cheapest options (which often results in cases when they deal with counterfeit meds and dangerous substances from the unlicensed suppliers).

In this connection, it bears reminding that caution should be exercised when choosing an e-pharmacy. The official sources under the guidance of Canadian Pharmacy healthcare flagman reiterate that checking for a pharmacy credentials is a step that cannot be skipped. Surprisingly, the activity of buyers from over-the-border results in an unpredictable shortage of medications within the borders of Canada.

Shortage of Meds in Canada: Why Does It Happen?

Bladder Cancer Canada (official website) has already reported about the cases when the necessary medications are not available in a sufficient amount for the Canadian citizens. Now the doctors and the pharmacists in Canada have to be especially attentive when it comes to the planning of treatment courses and monitoring the rest of the supplies available.

Unfortunately, bladder cancer is one of the most frequent and financially consuming conditions in the country. The increasing amount of patients undergoing cancer treatment has to turn to alternative suppliers to improve the situation. A similar case can be observed with the other popular medicines destined to beat chronic conditions in kids and adults. Why does it happen?

• Firstly, the Canadian pharmaceutical market offers tons of replacements for expensive brand medications. Each trustworthy Canadian drugstore working online or in a traditional way offers meds against diabetes, blood pressure problems, hypertension, and heart conditions. These pills are very pricey, no matter whether youre on a medication course, or recovering from surgery. As soon as the Americans found out about cheaper options available, they rushed to the online Canadian pharmaceutical market for affordable and safe drugs.
• Secondly, Canadian pharmacies have professionals among the staff members. These people can consult a patient and help him save on non-prescription meds, which is rarely an accessible service in brick-and-mortar American pharmacies offering mostly brand meds.
• Thirdly, they are attracted to promotions, seasonal price reductions, and personal offers of meds they have to take regularly. They order vast amounts of pills in advance, which seriously affects the domestic market.

Facing & Fighting Drug Shortages

What Can the Americans Do?

What Can the Canadians Do?

Its high time for the American government to start searching for more gentle ways to control the consumption of meds in the country. New pharmaceutical facilities are needed. The local manufacturers should offer alternative versions of the meds in addition to the brand ones. Besides, the price gap between the original and the alternative versions of the drugs should not be significant. Boost the production of life-saving drugs and emergency medicines that can be used without a prescription. Its also necessary to promote medical intelligence among the citizens. Specialized free courses should be established to teach the young generation and the adults about the ways to stay healthier and how to choose the meds correctly.

Learn to make ethical decisions. Life-saving medications and drugs destined to fight the conditions as grave as cancer should be offered to those who need them more depending on the gravity of the situation. Analyzing and reporting of shortages that might appear in the future. It wont fix the shortfall, but it will help to control it. Importation. Encouragement of competition between more significant numbers of pharmaceutical manufacturers. Finding a balance between the meager prices on generics and their original brand versions, thus decreasing the number of bulk purchases from over-the-border.

Generic Drugs Cause the Shortage as Well

Its evident that alternative versions of the drugs are more popular thanks to the same level of effectiveness and low prices on them. The manufacturers of generics dont invest in the marketing and advertising issues, because their pills are already popular. Smart and sensible buyers search for them all over the Internet on their own.

Unfortunately, this popularity results in the following:

1. The customers sniff around the Internet searching for the cheapest versions of the necessary medications and buy them in large numbers;
2. The ignored manufacturers of the brand medications have to decrease the production of the pills because of the insufficient purchasing power;
3. The manufacturers of generic medicines have to invest more in the production of their alternative drug versions.
4. Investments in the productive capacity of the generics become less profitable for the manufacturers.

Some of the medications have rare ingredients in the structure. The massive demand of the customers results in an insufficient supply of the components needed for the production. Its also one of the reasons causing the shortage of medications both in Canada and over the border.
Its a growing problem because telemedicine and online drugstores are getting popular not only in the US but all over the world as well. Is there a way out of this public health crisis? It looks like its slowly moving over the border, devouring its neighboring country.