U.S. Drug Shortages Soar to Record Levels, Affecting Wegovy and ADHD Medications, Threatening Public Health

Record-high drug shortages in the U.S. are leaving numerous patients stranded, with 323 drugs in shortage during the first quarter of this year. This figure marks a significant increase from the previous peak of 320 in 2014 and represents the highest number of shortages since tracking began in 2001, as reported by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the University of Utah Drug Information Service.

Supplies are low for everything from lower doses of Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster weight loss drug Wegovy, certain doses of Eli Lilly’s popular diabetes injection and weight loss counterpart Zepbound, to key cancer treatments and common antibiotics. Many of them are generic medications, which make up a majority of Americans’ prescriptions.

“All drug classes are vulnerable to shortages,” Paul Abramowitz, CEO of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, or ASHP, wrote in a blog post on Thursday.

But he said “some of the most worrying shortages involve generic sterile injectable medications, including cancer chemotherapy drugs and emergency medications stored in hospital crash carts and procedural areas.” Ongoing scarcity of ADHD medications “also remain a serious challenge for clinicians and patients,” Abramowitz added. 

The U.S. drug shortages crisis underscores the critical need for comprehensive measures to bolster the pharmaceutical supply chain. Efforts to address regulatory hurdles, enhance manufacturing capabilities, and streamline distribution channels are imperative to mitigate the impact of shortages. Additionally, proactive steps such as strategic stockpiling and diversification of suppliers can help build resilience against future disruptions. Ultimately, a concerted effort involving government agencies, pharmaceutical companies, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders is essential to safeguard public health and ensure access to vital medications in the face of the ongoing crisis.
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