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Official says hospital drug shortages to worsen
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CHATTANOOGA (AP) — A pharmacy official at Chattanooga’s public hospital says shortages of drugs at hospitals are going to get worse.Dustin Smith, the chief operating pharmacist at Erlanger Health System, said many chemotherapy drugs were in short supply last year. This year, many other types of drugs are hard to come by, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press.Most of the shortages are occurring in frequently used generic forms. Officials said a combination of federal regulations, ingredient supply disruption and consolidations among generic drug manufacturers all affect availability.At Memorial Health Care System, pharmacy director Sandy Vredeveld said patient safety is a concern as doctors are forced to make drug substitutions because the remedies they relied on are not available.• • • • •KNOXVILLE (AP) — Residential monthly bills for customers using Tennessee Valley Authority power will decrease up to $1 in March.The federal utility said Monday the fuel cost for next month will be the lowest in almost two years.Most of the decrease is related to lower sales projections for March and, consequently, lower fuel cost expectations.