{"id":104831,"date":"2023-06-11T09:27:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-11T13:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=104831"},"modified":"2023-06-12T09:56:47","modified_gmt":"2023-06-12T13:56:47","slug":"us-drug-shortages","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/us-drug-shortages\/","title":{"rendered":"The US Drug Shortage: Causes and Potential Solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What\u2019s behind the shortage of hundreds of drugs in the US? What can be done to fix the problem?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The US drug shortage is so severe that physicians at large cancer centers have virtually no supply of chemotherapy drugs left. Experts attribute much of the drug shortage problem to an ailing generic drug manufacturing market, which accounts for 90% of all domestic prescriptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below we’ll take a look at what’s causing the US drug shortage and if anything can be done to remedy it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Causes and Effects of the US Drug Shortage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The US began 2023 with 301 active drug shortages<\/a>\u201449% higher than in 2018 and a record five-year high. Physicians in 35 states, including those at large cancer centers and teaching hospitals, say they have little or no supply of chemotherapy drugs. The US drug shortage is so severe that life-saving treatments for patients with lung, breast, bladder, and ovarian cancers are being delayed. Doctors call the shortage a public health emergency.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Background<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When doctors are aware that a drug shortage is on the horizon, they do what they can to mitigate the problem. Some prepare for shortages by <\/strong>rationing drug doses<\/strong><\/a>. Once the drug is gone, however, there\u2019s no dose left to round down.\u00a0Physicians also substitute scarce drugs with alternatives when possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes doctors have no warning of a drug shortage\u2014suppliers simply stop filling their orders<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drug Shortage Causes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Experts attribute the dearth of drugs in the US to a host of factors, most notably, a struggling generic drug market<\/a>. The association representing generic drug makers recently warned members of Congress that a number of US generic manufacturers are at risk of bankruptcy and closing up shop. Troubles these drug makers confront include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n