Washington ( CNN ) -- President Barack Obama signed an executive order Monday designed to help reduce a growing number of prescription drug shortages while protecting patients from possible pharmaceutical industry price gouging . Among other things , the order requires the Food and Drug Administration to increase its reporting of possible shortages of certain prescription drugs , while also speeding up regulatory reviews of new drug manufacturing sites , drug suppliers and manufacturing changes . The Justice Department will be tasked with examining whether specific drug shortages are tied to an intentional stockpiling of medications designed to raise prices . Administration officials are also calling on Congress to pass more comprehensive legislation to boost the FDA 's power to address prescription drug shortages . The new steps are part of a highly publicized White House initiative to bolster the economy and help consumers without assistance from a sharply divided Congress . `` The shortage of prescription drugs drives up costs , leaves consumers vulnerable to price gouging and threatens our health and safety , '' Obama said in a written statement . `` This is a problem we ca n't wait to fix . '' Obama administration officials have also sent a letter to drug manufacturers `` reminding them of their responsibility to report the discontinuation of certain drugs to the FDA , '' the statement noted . Drug manufacturers are being encouraged to voluntarily disclose possible prescription drug shortages in instances not currently required by law . Under current law , pharmaceutical companies are only required to announce a decision to stop the manufacture of certain critical drugs if those drugs are available through a single manufacturer , according to the administration . The White House is also directing the FDA to increase the total number of staffers dealing with drug shortage issues . The new executive actions are being taken in response to a growing drug shortfall in the United States . The total number of prescription drug shortages almost tripled from 2005 to 2010 , the White House noted . As the number of shortages has grown , prices have skyrocketed in certain instances . The White House cited an August Premier health care alliance report estimating that the `` typical gray market vendor '' jacks up prices by 650 % on average . `` At the extreme , '' the White House statement noted , `` a drug used to treat high blood pressure that was normally priced at $ 25.90 was being sold at $ 1,200 due to a drug shortage . '' Later , White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters the administration will continue to use its executive branch authority to act on a number of fronts without congressional assistance . Democrats have been frustrated by GOP opposition to the president 's $ 447 billion jobs plan , as well as a series of other administration-backed measures . `` One of the reasons why we ca n't wait is because Congress wo n't act , '' Carney said . `` As we have said throughout this initiative and in general , the president looks to ways he can use his executive authority to , broadly speaking , help Americans who can be helped through actions that this administration can take . ''
Obama order efforts at reducing drug shortages , rising costs . The FDA will report more possible shortages , speed up regulatory reviews . The Justice Department will report possible price increases . Obama wants more comprehensive legislation to deal with the problem .