The Drug Shortage is Impacting These 8 Medications

In 2023, the quality of surgery, emergency treatment, and other hospital departments has been negatively impacted by prolonged medicine shortages. Eight additional drugs have recently experienced shortages or have been discontinued.

In many situations, ongoing medication shortages over the past year have compelled healthcare executives to alter or jeopardize some facets of patient treatment. In 2023, over 60% of medical practitioners reported shortages of 20 medications, one-time-use items, or other medical equipment.

Drug shortages can be caused by a variety of factors, including delays, discontinuations, and issues with production and quality.

In a news release, the president of the Institute For Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) Rita Jew said, “The extent to which medication, supply, and equipment shortages are negatively impacting patient care is inexcusable.”

While hospitals and pharmacies can handle shortages in the short run, she continues, long-term, nationally coordinated solutions are required to address the recurring shortages that we have been seeing over the past few years.

The FDA and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists' medication supply databases show that there are several new drug shortages. These include:

Ampicillin injection: As of October 23, around half of the antibacterial medication's supply in the United States was running low. Release dates vary from October to May, and the majority of pharmaceutical companies did not disclose the cause of the scarcity.

Beyfortus (nirsevimab-alip intramuscular injection): Sanofi, the company that made the first RSV medicine authorized by the FDA for children, is claiming a shortage of this antiviral medication. Clinicians should limit their supply for infants who are most at risk of developing a severe illness, according to the CDC.

Chloramphenicol sodium succinate injection: One solution was placed on back-order without a date of resupply by Fresenius Kabi, the only source of this antibiotic.

Technetium Tc-99m sodium pertechnetate generator injection: Four solutions of the medication used for medical imaging are being discontinued by NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes. The final batch is scheduled to be made on October 30 and has an expiration date of November 20, 2024, according to the company, which stated that the discontinuation is a business decision.

Cromolyn oral solution: Four are not available, while two are. The medication treats the signs and symptoms of mastocytosis, an uncommon disorder characterized by an excess of mast cells that can cause nausea and stomach discomfort. Most drugmakers could not forecast a release date, and one anticipates supplies to return in mid-November.

Dacarbazine injection: Since April, there has been a scarcity of the medication used to treat skin cancer, but things are becoming worse. Three treatments from Fresenius Kabi and Hikma Pharmaceuticals are back-ordered, with a November availability date anticipated. Teva Pharmaceuticals entered the battle on October 24 and as of right now, two of its remedies aren't available for refill. The pharmaceutical company said that the scarcity was necessary to guarantee adherence to "good manufacturing processes," or quality control.

Hydromorphone hydrochloride suppository: Due to a long-term scarcity of raw materials, Padagis, the only provider of severe pain medicine, is unable to fulfill orders for the suppositories.

Oxymorphone immediate-release tablets: Of the six available solutions of this analgesic, five are back-ordered and do not have a scheduled restock, while one is accessible.