U.S. drug shortages are at an all-time high, with 323 active and ongoing shortages already tallied this year, the report says. Data collected by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).
The current total of drug shortages exceeds the previous record of 320, set in 2014, and is the highest since ASHP began tracking shortages in 2001.
“All drug classes are susceptible to shortages,” said ASHP CEO Paul Abramowitz. statement Thursday. “Some of the most concerning shortages include generic sterile injectable drugs, such as cancer chemotherapy drugs and emergency medications, which are stored in hospital ambulances and treatment rooms. Attention deficits continue across the country /There is a shortage of drugs to treat hyperactivity disorder. [ADHD] It remains a serious challenge for clinicians and patients alike. ”
said Erin Fox, deputy chief pharmacy officer at the University of Utah Health. CBS Money Watchsaid most of the drugs in shortage are generic older products, and about half are injectable drugs that require more rigorous manufacturing processes.
There are countless possible reasons for the hundreds of drug shortages currently facing doctors and patients, many of which remain unknown. However, as Ars previously reported, the root cause of the shortage of off-patent, low-cost generic drugs is well established. Profit margins on these drugs are driven by middle managers who have driven wholesale prices to rock-bottom levels in recent years, with razor-thin or non-existent profit margins. In some cases, generic drug makers will suffer losses on their drugs, discouraging other companies in the pharmaceutical industry from stepping in to shore up weak supply chains. Several generic drug manufacturers have recently filed for bankruptcy.
For other drugs, the situation is more complicated. For example, the ADHD drug Adderall has been in severe shortage since October 2022, leaving millions of patients across the country struggling to fill their prescriptions. The problem started when a manufacturing delay at a certain manufacturer caused a shortage. Although the issue has since been resolved, it comes amid a significant increase in Adderall prescribing, which has spiked even further as telemedicine prescribing became more common during the pandemic. Additionally, Adderall, which is made with mixed amphetamine salts, is a controlled substance, so the Drug Enforcement Administration has set limits or “quotas” on the amount that manufacturers can produce. ASHP says such allocations could make the shortage even worse.
but, Joint letter with the Food and Drug Administration last AugustThe DEA said that according to its data, manufacturers of amphetamine products (including Adderall) sold only about 70% of their allotted quota in 2022. That means there were about 1 billion more doses that could have been manufactured but were not made or produced. ship. At the time, government agencies said 2023 data would follow a similar trend.
ASHP research shows that in 60% of cases, manufacturers either do not know or do not disclose why their medicines are in short supply.
The organization publishes policy recommendations to prevent shortages and improve supply chains, advocating: Federal and regulatory changes. “Much work remains to be done at the federal level to address the root causes of drug shortages,” Abramowitz said. “ASHP guides efforts to draft and pass new legislation to address drug shortages and engages regularly with policymakers as we continue to advocate strongly on behalf of our member countries for effective solutions.” I will continue to do so.”
