Drug Scarcity’s Dire Cost, and Some Ways to Cope

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/13/health/policy/the-personal-price-paid-for-shortages-of-doxil-and-other-drugs.html?ref=science
It reports that Doxil, a medicine for cancer and AIDS related disease etc,., are supplied for patients enough. It causes health care cost issue as hospitals supply more expensive drugs for substituting Doxil.
However, alternative drugs could be more dangerous for very old or young patients. The author notes another option which is a use of anesthesia drugs. But it delays patients to leave hospitals because it takes longer time to wake up.