Drug Shortages Surge and Crisis Grips US Pharmacies

Drug shortages in the United States have hit a record high, ringing alarm bells for pharmacists nationwide. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and Utah Drug Information Service jointly reported a staggering 323 active drug shortages in the first quarter of the year. This unsettling figure marks the highest shortage rate since data tracking began in 2001, surpassing the previous peak of 320 shortages in 2014.

ASHP CEO Paul Abramowitz cautioned that no class of drugs is immune to shortages. Particularly worrisome are the scarcities of generic sterile injectable medications, including critical chemotherapy drugs and emergency medications housed in hospital crash carts and procedural areas. Among the affected medications are oxytocin, Rho(D) immune globulin, standard chemotherapy, pain relievers, sedatives, and ADHD medications.

“ASHP will continue to engage with policymakers regularly as we guide efforts to draft and pass new legislation to address drug shortages and continue to strongly advocate on behalf of our members for solutions that work.”

ASHP CEO Paul Abramowitz via Fox Business

The ongoing scarcity of therapies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder poses a significant challenge for clinicians and patients alike, Abramowitz emphasized. Short-term shortages typically stem from demand outpacing supply. However, the most severe and persistent shortages arise from economic factors undermining manufacturing capacity, quality, and supply chain reliability.

Extreme price competition among generic drug manufacturers exacerbates these economic challenges, ASHP reported. Abramowitz stressed the need for federal intervention to address the root causes of the crisis, emphasizing ASHP’s ongoing engagement with policymakers to develop and enact effective solutions.

Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a white paper outlining recommendations for congressional action to tackle the issue. In a press release, HHS affirmed its commitment to collaborating with Congress to ensure no patient suffers the consequences of drug shortages or goes without essential medications.