The state's doctors' organization has declared a "state of emergency" over the difficulty physicians are having in getting crucial medications that were once easily obtained.

The Medical Society of the State of New York says the national shortage of life-saving and life-sustaining medicines has impacted patients in New York.

The shortage involves more than 180 drugs and especially concerns sterile injectable medications, chemotherapy agents, anesthetics used for patients undergoing surgery, drugs needed for emergency medicine, electrolytes needed for patients on IV feeding, and other critical medications.

"The Medical Society is calling for the Department of Health and the FDA to investigate the shortage, and then ensure that a stockpile of critical life-sustaining medications be maintained with national oversight," said MSSNY President Paul Hamlin, MD.

Hamlin said the need is so critical that "non-compliance should result in meaningful penalties. Our physicians have been consistently expressing their concern to pharmaceutical companies and regulatory agencies without any relief in sight."

"Some of our patients are fighting for their lives. Physicians can prescribe, but we cannot regulate the manufacture of drugs," Hamlin said.

Physicians representing every district in New York State unanimously agreed to declare this shortage crisis a state of emergency at the Society's Council meeting on Thursday.