The US is currently grappling with an escalating crisis in its pharmaceutical sector. With a record number of drug shortages, the implications are far-reaching and potentially life-threatening. Pharmacists across the nation are growing increasingly concerned, warning that the situation is dire and requires immediate attention.
According to recent reports by industry insiders, the US is experiencing the highest number of drug shortages in its history. Essential medications, including life-saving chemotherapy drugs and emergency medications, are in dwindling supply. This places an enormous strain on our healthcare system and threatens the well-being of countless patients.
“The situation is far worse than we initially anticipated. Not only are we dealing with an unprecedented number of drug shortages, but the drugs in question are critical to patient care,” a prominent pharmacist revealed.
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the Utah Drug Information Service recently reported an alarming 323 active drug shortages in the first quarter of the year. This surpasses the previous record of 320 shortages in 2014.
ASHP CEO, Paul Abramowitz, warned that all drug classes are susceptible to shortages. However, he emphasized that the most concerning shortages involve generic sterile injectable medications. These include critical cancer chemotherapy drugs and emergency medications typically stored in hospital crash carts and procedural areas.
The drugs currently in short supply include oxytocin, Rho(D) immune globulin, standard of care chemotherapy, pain and sedation medications, and ADHD medications. Additionally, Abramowitz noted that the ongoing national shortages of therapies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder remain a significant challenge for clinicians and patients alike.
Abramowitz explained that short-term shortages are typically caused by a supply-demand imbalance. However, the most severe and persistent shortages are driven by economic factors that undermine investment in manufacturing capacity, manufacturing quality, and supply chain reliability.
“These economic challenges are driven by extreme price competition among generic manufacturers,” ASHP further added.
Abramowitz stressed the need for more proactive measures at the federal level to address the root cause of the issue.
“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,” he said.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently published a white paper outlining ways Congress could assist with the issue.
“With today’s white paper, HHS offers solutions and stands ready to work with Congress to ensure no patient faces the devastating consequences of drug shortages or goes without needed medicines,” the HHS stated in a press release.