"FTC Investigates Generic Drug Shortages and Supply Chain Middlemen"
The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Health and Human Services have launched an inquiry into the causes of generic drug shortages, focusing on the practices of group purchasing organizations and drug distributors. The inquiry aims to assess the influence of these "powerful middlemen" on drug pricing and manufacturing, which has led to critical shortages of drugs such as chemotherapy and antibiotics, endangering patients. Lawmakers and industry executives have expressed concerns about the impact of these practices on the stability of the industry, particularly among makers of sterile injectable products used in surgical and cancer care.