<http://schema.org/articleBody>
" Patients&amp;#039; lives are being endangered by shortages of potentially life-saving medicines, a survey has found. Four-fifths of NHS trusts that responded to Freedom of Information requests submitted by MP Huw Irranca-Davies said there were &amp;#039;unacceptable&amp;#039; delays for many drugs, including some for cancer and organ failure. The survey of 60 health authorities in England and Wales revealed that the problem is due to medicines intended for NHS use being exported to other EU countries instead. Writing on Twitter, Mr Irranca-Davies said the situation was &amp;#039;not good enough&amp;#039; and that the government and pharmaceutical industry &amp;#039;need to act on medicine shortages&amp;#039;. In response, a spokesman for the Department of Health said that manufacturers should ensure any quotas put in place to control the amount of drugs set aside for the NHS &amp;#039;are flexible enough to cope with reasonable fluctuations in demand&amp;#039;. &amp;#039;We will take any action necessary in the event of disruption to supply and distribution of medicines that causes serious risk to patient,&amp;#039; he added. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/news/a22588/nhs-patients-put-at-risk-by-drug-shortages/>