Authorities perplexed by the lack of drug Spike

Authorities perplexed by the lack of drug Spike
It seems that there are multiple factors that are playing in it and it is very difficult to identify what is most important, "said Lurie told Reuters.

The shortage of medicines have been around for years in the United States, but first were intermittent and largely temporary, pharmacists and doctors say. They have soared in a very short time, with a record of more than 200 drugs in short supply in this year, compared to 56 in 2006, according to the FDA.

Health care providers say the companies that make these medications long sold in generic form, have a decreased interest in ensuring a strong supply. After a wave of consolidation, only five to seven companies produce 80 percent of these drugs, and more stringent reimbursement policies have reduced benefits.

However, a group representing companies like Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Sandoz, a division of Novartis AG, blames the FDA for the introduction of unnecessarily strict inspections and the closing of manufacturing facilities for minor issues