Pharmacy benefit managers and their obligations during serious prescription drug shortages.

Pharmacy benefit managers are connected to some 215 million Americans and to every prescribing physician and retail pharmacy in the United States. Many of them have their own large and sophisticated dispensing operations. These capabilities could be put to use when drug shortages threaten life. Indeed, these capabilities are such that they confer obligations on pharmacy benefit managers to address such shortages--not only on behalf of their clients but for society in general.