Premier Inc., through its ProvideGx program, has partnered with Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC (Hikma, Group) to supply amiodarone and sterile water to healthcare providers, helping to stabilize the long-term supply of two medications vital for COVID-19 patient care.
Amiodarone is used to manage late onset cardiac arrest and ventrical arrhythmia, two common complications associated with hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Although this drug is not currently on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) drug shortage list, Premier’s purchasing data shows that amiodarone is heavily backordered, with just 55 percent of orders being fulfilled due to the dramatic spike in demand during the first quarter of 2020. Sterile water is currently on the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists shortage list and has historically rolled on and off the FDA’s shortage list due to production delays and increased demand. Sterile water is used to reconstitute many medications for injection, including remdesivir, which has been shown to speed COVID-19 recovery times.
Premier’s ProvideGx program identifies safe, high-quality supply sources for drugs that are or may be at risk of being added to the national drug shortage list. Guided by health systems with more than 1,600 hospitals across the nation, Premier’s ProvideGx program creates long-term committed buying contracts that provide participating manufacturers with the surety needed to increase production.
"Our COVID-19 response effort is completely dependent on reliable access to these critical drugs and important treatments, "said Susan Mashni, PharmD, Vice President and Chief Pharmacy Officer for Mount Sinai Health System, a member of Premier's group purchasing organization. "We commend Premier and Hikma for reaching this deal to support long-term access to these medications now so that we don't have to worry about these products being completely unavailable in the future. Having a reliable supply of these drugs is critical for patients who can't afford to wait, and crucial for their survival."
With wide-ranging effects on patient care, drug shortages can add time and expense as providers search for therapeutic alternatives and manage supplies, potentially delaying certain elective hospital procedures. ProvideGx is part of Premier’s ongoing effort to help facilitate the availability of high-quality products, including drugs for which there may be supply challenges. Premier currently is targeting more than 50 critical drugs to secure for healthcare providers across the nation.
