Concern over a shortage of a drug popular for treating Lyme disease has caused two U.S. senators to ask for federal intervention. The shortage is particularly of concern as most of the country moves into Lyme disease season.
According to the Bangor Daily News, senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) have contacted the .
The drug in low supply is , which the Mayo Clinic says is a staple of treatment for early-stage Lyme disease. It's the drug of choice for adults and children older than 8 years old and is administered either by mouth or by IV.
MedlinePlus reports thatlike treating bacterial infections, anthrax after inhalation, genital and urinary conditions, skin infections, and acne. Some travelers take it to prevent malaria.
According to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, most of the drug companies that produce doxycyclineor predict how long it will last. The shortage began early in 2013 and has caused prices to soar. One manufacturer says it is providing the antibiotic only to current contracted customers.
In Maine, the shortage of doxycycline pills is more acute than the IV form of the drug. A hospital pharmacist found that 50 pills would cost the facility between $197 to $270 if available. As the nationwide supply dwindles, healthcare providers are forced to switch to other drugs, depending on the specific condition needing treatment.
For example, azithromycin treats certain types of pneumonia, while doctors sometimes use amoxicillin for Lyme disease. However, the drug of choice for Lyme patients is doxycycline.
The two senators have asked the FDA to use all resources available to alleviate the shortage. This could include finding other manufacturers or importing limited quantities of the drug from other countries.
My husband takes doxycycline on a long-term basis for a decades-long bone infection in his leg. More than a year ago, he also received a diagnosis of Lyme disease. Doxycycline was the drug of choice, since it could treat both conditions.
We have a choice of purchasing a prescription as a 30-day supply at the local pharmacy or ordering a 28- to 90-day supply of a generic like doxycycline for $10 to $15 from our mail-order pharmacy.
Until a few days ago, my husband had paid only a few dollars per month for doxycycline at the local pharmacy, which always had it in stock. However, his last refill cost around $30. The pharmacist would only say that the pharmacy had changed suppliers, resulting in a huge cost increase.
Fortunately, the doctor electronically sent a cheaper, 90-day prescription to the mail-order pharmacy. Whether there will be a delay in arrival due to the shortage of this Lyme disease drug is anybody's guess.
Vonda J. Sines has published thousands of print and online health and medical articles. She specializes in diseases and other conditions that affect the quality of life.
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