NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Drug shortages reached a five-year peak at the end of 2022. United States officials said this poses devastating consequences.
A new report from the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs drug shortages surged almost 30 percent between 2021 and 2022, impacting 295 products at the end of last year. More than 15 critical drugs have suffered from shortages for more than a decade.
One cause of the shortages noted in the report is the U.S. has been relying more on other countries like China and India to manufacture drugs, which means supply chain issues and politics can get in the way of important treatment.
For example, this past year a plant in Shanghai that produces material for radiological scans went down and overnight doctors said half the supply for those scans became unavailable.
Not everything is due to overseas production though. The asthma drug albuterol was impacted when a major manufacturer, Akorn, had to close down after filing for bankruptcy last month.
Another reason — some drugs were in high demand during the COVID-19 pandemic and are now dealing with delays.
Experts said some manufacturers make the same drug for several different brands, so people may have the false belief that there are multiple sources of a drug to choose from when there is not.
According to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, other major drugs facing shortages right now are:
- Amoxicillin oral tablets and powder — an antibiotic
- Morphine injections
- Prednisone oral tablets which is a steroid.
- Sodium chloride — I-V saline.
The report concluded saying Congress must step in to address supply chain issues, otherwise officials expect drug shortages will remain both a health and national security risk.
