Drug Shortages
Since 2018, the Academy has prioritized advocacy efforts related to drug shortages due to their impact on ophthalmology practices. Practices continue to experience shortages of numerous ophthalmic drugs, including fluorescein strips, dorzolamide, phopholine iodide, atropine, and others. The Academy has worked on multiple House and Senate letters to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), urging the prioritization of addressing drug shortages and increased engagement from their Drug Shortage Task Force. In response to those letters, the FDA held a meeting of the Drug Shortage Task Force and invited Academy participation.
In early 2020, the Academy led a joint ophthalmic community letter in support of the Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages (MEDS) Act. The MEDS Act proposed increased transparency requirements for drug manufacturers, specifically information sharing with FDA as to the cause and expected duration of shortages. The legislation also called for contingency planning for manufacturing or supply chain breakdowns, especially for critical drug products. Key provisions from the MEDS Act were enacted into law as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Public Law 116-136).