Critical shortages of prescription drugs have more than tripled over the last six years leaving doctors and patients scrambling to find treatments for childhood leukemia, breast and colon cancer, infections and other diseases. Sen. Bernie Sanders has cosponsored bipartisan legislation to address the problem that he said has created a serious public health problem for many Vermonters and other Americans.

Responding to requests from Fletcher Allen Health Care and doctors in Vermont, Sanders backed a bill by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine). The measure would require that drug makers give early warnings of possible supply disruptions to the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA now collects some information voluntarily submitted by drug makers, but hospitals and patients continue to be caught off-guard by drug shortages. The bill also would direct the FDA to provide up-to-date public notification of shortages on its website.

Experts blame the shortages on a number of factors, including market consolidation, production delays, unexpected increases in demand for a drug, and difficulties procuring raw materials. In some instances medications are in short supply because companies simply stopped making products that weren't profitable enough. The shortages in less expensive generic drugs have forced some health care providers to buy more expensive products.

"It is unacceptable, that in the United States of America today you could be taking a life-saving drug one day and find out it is no longer available the next day," said Sanders, a member of the Senate health committee. "Drug manufacturers need to keep the public informed when they know that a drug supply is running low so alternative measures may be taken long before someone's health is in peril."