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He noted that there are more active drug shortages in the United States than ever before. Data From the American Association of Health-System Pharmacists and the University of Utah Drug Information Service.
The companies started tracking drug shortages in 2018. In the year Since then, shortage levels have fluctuated over the decade, but have grown steadily since 2021 – now reaching a record 323 drugs in the first three months of 2024.
“It's long past time to end drug shortages,” wrote Paul Abramowitz, CEO of the American Association of Health-System Pharmacists. Blog post on Thursday.
“All classes of medicine are subject to shortages,” he wrote. “Some of the most worrisome shortages include generic sterile injection drugs, cancer chemotherapy drugs and emergency drugs stocked in hospital emergency carts and processing areas. The persistent national undertreatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder remains a serious challenge for clinicians and patients.
with 32 Chemotherapy The five types of medications most in short supply are prescription drugs, central nervous system stimulants, antimicrobials, hormonal agents, and intravenous fluids.
The Drug Shortage Database, maintained by the American Association of Health-System Pharmacists and the University of Utah, is based on voluntary reports from professionals, patients and others verified by manufacturers. This list includes more drugs than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration deems to be in short supply because it carries a wider range of effects on providers and patients.
The average drug shortage remains about a year and a half, According to government data. More than half of the medical shortages have lasted more than two years Analysis Health consulting firm IQVIA. And the average shortage affects at least half a million patients, many of whom are elderly, according to the U.S. Office of Health and Human Services. Assistant Secretary for Planning and EvaluationHe shared his analysis with Congress in May.
Increased demand may play a role in drug shortages, as has the recent shortage of weight loss drugs. But more often than not, production and quality problems are problems like gaps and disruptions in the supply chain.
Last week, H.H.S White paper Outlining policy ideas to help prevent drug shortages and reduce vulnerability. Among the main recommendations are collaborations between manufacturers and hospitals that aim to bring transparency to the drug market and encourage investment in strong and diverse supply chains.
But the American Association of Health-System Pharmacists has “serious concerns” over parts of the proposal, particularly financial penalties for hospitals that don't have the resources to comply with the recommendations.
“We all know that controlling shortages is not enough and is not a lasting solution to a serious crisis,” Abramowitz said. Much work remains to be done at the federal level to address the causes of drug shortages.
's Jane Christensen contributed to this report.