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Nationwide narcotics shortage has pharmacies in Acadiana concerned
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Due to the opioid pandemic, there's a nationwide shortage of pain medication, and this means some people may have shorter prescriptions than usual.
MAMOU, La (KLFY)-- Due to the opioid pandemic, there's a nationwide shortage of pain medication, and this means some people may have shorter prescriptions than usual. A local pharmacy in Mamou who told News 10 about the narcotics shortage is not only concerned for patients who truly need pain medications, but also pharmacies who can't fill them.
"Sometimes patients come here," Rebecca Cormier, the co-owner and pharmacist at Reed's Pharmacy said. "They have reached out to five or six different pharmacies trying to find pain medicine, and they can't. There's none."
Cormier said the opioid pandemic is causing the federal government to limit the supply of narcotics as a way to tackle it. Cormier said because of this, pharmacies across the state are having a difficult time filling prescriptions.
"I think limiting the supply is making more hardships on filling legitimate prescriptions," she said. "I'm having to call my patients and say, hey, I can maybe fill up seven-day supply. I won't be able to fill your full scripts until I know when I can get some more."
Cormier said there are patients who have a legitimate need for prescribed pain medications. Limiting the supply of narcotics not only affects them, but also the pharmacy's ability to provide services for their patients.
"In doing that, it trickles down to us pharmacies not being able to get enough for our current patients who need the opioids for legitimate reasons, such as chronic pain cancer surgeries," she said.
Cormier said it's hard not being able to provide patients with relief.
"We also just have concerns about if people can't legitimately get their pain medicine, what they're going to turn to," Cormier said. "I'm hoping it doesn't lead to increased fentanyl overdoses.
Cormier hopes there can be a better alternative then limiting the supply for pharmacies, because all she just wants to help everyone who truly needs it.