Drug shortages & discontinued drugs: the effects on patients & healthcare providers.

Drug shortages, which are at an all-time high, and discontinued drugs have patients, physicians, and pharmacists scrambling for answers to the problem of unavailable drugs. Needless to say these problems have created unnecessary discomfort for patients and have put patients in life and death situations. This article discusses some of the possible reasons for the problems and how they affect patients and those healthcare providers who are dedicated to the medical treatment of patients.