According to an analysis conducted by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), approximately 96% of certified pharmacist technicians surveyed said their pharmacies were running out of medications.1
Survey respondents said chemotherapy drugs, drugs to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists for weight loss and diabetes, and local anesthetics were among the drugs most in short supply. Said to be included. These drugs include tripeptide (Mounjaro, Eli Lilly and Company), semaglutide (Wegovy and Ozempic, Novo Nordisk), and lidocaine.1
Among respondents, 72% said drug shortages had a very significant or significant impact on their workflow, and one person said it also impacted patient care and staffing. Approximately 35% of pharmacy technicians responded that in lieu of normal pharmacy duties they deal with drug shortage issues five or more times per day.1
Approximately 90% of those surveyed recommended alternative drugs when available to address drug shortages, but in 45% of cases their prescriptions could not be filled. Approximately 28.79% of pharmacy technicians were able to utilize their own pharmacy’s dispensing services and 6.06% were able to refer the patient to another pharmacy if no alternative was available. One respondent stated that the pharmacy conducts weekly shortage calls to address shortages.1
“It’s no surprise that pharmacy technicians are proactively working on solutions to alleviate drug shortages for patients,” said William Schimmel, CEO of PTCB. But I was impressed by the spirit of cooperation.” statement. “Some respondents said they called drugs [representatives] To find medicine for patients. This shows how important a role pharmacy technicians play in healthcare delivery. ”1
PTCB conducted an online survey in August 2023 with certified pharmacy technicians with supply chain and inventory management certificates participating. Approximately 14% were from community pharmacies, 62% from health system pharmacies, and 24% from other pharmacy practices.1
As chemotherapy drug shortages continue, patients, other treatment providers, and the oncology field as a whole are being significantly impacted2. Drugs affected by the shortage include carboplatin and cisplatin, which are used to treat a wide variety of cancers. This has forced treatment providers to extend the time between treatments, scrape out the last drops from vials to create new doses, and in some cases prioritize which patients receive treatment first. Many treatment plans are interrupted because the prescriber has to switch to a suboptimal combination, change the patient from one drug type (oral, intravenous), or completely change the order of drug therapy. It has been.2
Additionally, in October 2022, the FDA issued a statement regarding the shortage of Adderall, which is used to treat ADHD. The shortage increased demand for other methylphenidate preparations, which subsequently led to shortages of Ritalin and Concerta.3
While drug shortages are especially acute right now, pharmacy professionals need to consider all options for affected patients to continue treating them.
References
- Drug shortages are impacting nearly all pharmacies, a study by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board found. Cision PR Newswire. September 21, 2023. Accessed September 21, 2023. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/drug-shortages-impacting-nearly-all-pharmacies-pharmacy-technician-certification-board-survey-finds-301934113 .html
- Halpern L. Unimaginable decisions and lack of accountability are rampant as chemotherapy drug shortages continue. pharmacy times. July 24, 2023. Accessed September 21, 2023. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/as-chemotherapy-drug-shortage-continues-unimaginable-decisions-and-lacking-accountability-reign
- Van de Roovaart H. Predicting drug shortages during supply chain disruptions: implications for children with ADHA. pharmacy times. July 25, 2023. Accessed September 21, 2023. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/anticipating-drug-shortages-during-supply-chain-disruptions-implications-for-children-with-adhd
