PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) — The supply chain crisis is wreaking havoc on industries across the board from pharmaceuticals to auto parts.
RX Express Owner, Laura Gould, said several pharmacies are experiencing a shortage of antibiotics, blood pressure medication, inhalers and more. All of which are medications taken by millions of people.
“So the patient has to switch their prescription over, and then we have to fill it,” Gould said. “It takes them an extra step by having to come over here and pick it up but they’re sure glad they can get it somewhere.”
Gould said she has never seen a medication shortage like this before.
“We usually have an abundance of generic houses that can make generic successfully and that’s what keeps our drug prices down so they don’t have to use brand names,” Gould said.
She said sometimes patients are going two weeks without their prescription before they’re able to get a refill.
“By the time they get to us, their blood pressure is up, and they’re having to come to a pharmacy they’re not used to, when they get here they’re completely delighted to have us give them the medication and enjoy our service,” Gould said.
It’s not just pharmacies, auto part stores are experiencing similar issues.
President of Panama Alternator and Starter, Joey Ramsey, said he’s had to seek out different suppliers for his products.
“We are seeing that a lot of times the one source won’t have it, the other source would usually have it, now I’m running into both sources not having it,” Ramsey said. “I’m having to go to three and four sources to get the starts and alternators.”
Ramsey said because of shipping delays, he’s now ordering several alternators and starters in advance.
“Now I can’t always get it the next day. It might be a week or two before I can get it,” Ramsey said. “Sometimes I’ll order three or four of one number and I’m even having like today there was two part numbers they said I would not get until next month or the next month. It would be either March or April.”
Both Gould and Ramsey said they’re able to help most customers who come to their stores.
