White House Moves To Curb Drug Shortages

President Obama issued an executive order on Monday – another of his recent moves that have sidestepped Congress– ordering the Food and Drug Administration to take steps to reduce drug shortages that have plagued hospitals and pharmacies nationwide.

The order requires drug companies to report production problems to the FDA six months before those problems would impact that nation’s supplies. The order also speeds reviews of applications to change production procedures. If further directs the Justice Department to collect information on possible instances of collusion or price gouging by drug makers.

A bipartisan bill that would have etched many of these changes into law, has been stuck in the Congress since February.

We took a close look at the roots of the national drug shortage, which you can hear here.