Article: Short supply of infertility drugs spurs panic, hoarding Patients, specialists affected by manufacturer's shift in focus on treatments

A shortage of two leading infertility drugs has triggered a wave of panic and hoarding among anxious couples nationwide, and is forcing some clinics performing treatments such as in vitro fertilization to turn away new patients.

The squeeze on Pergonal and Metrodin, which are distributed in the United States by Serono Laboratories Inc. of Norwell, occurs at a time when the European manufacturer is shifting its emphasis to Metrodin, the newer drug that it says is in greater demand.

A Serono spokeswoman said yesterday that supplies of Metrodin should be back to normal within several weeks, while Pergonal will remain scarce because worldwide demand is declining. Meanwhile, Gina Cella said, the ...

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