New Report Sounds Alarm on Pandemic-Induced Drug Shortages

The COVID-19 pandemic is worsening a pre-existing problem of drug shortages in the U.S., University of Minnesota researchers report in a new analysis.

The shortages have limited the supply of critical drugs for treating COVID-19 patients, including propofol, albuterol, midazolam, hydroxychloroquine, cisatracurium, rocuronium, fentanyl, azithromycin, vancomycin and others, the university’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) said.

The FDA says 18 out of 40 drugs needed to treat COVID-19 are in shortage, but the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists reckons the number is even higher, at 29 of the 40, CIDRAP noted.

The report offers some suggestions for how to deal with the crisis in the supply of some essential drugs and it includes recommendations for Congress. One idea is to establish a national organization to create an in-depth map pinpointing where each drug’s starting materials, active pharmaceutical ingredients and finished drug products are produced. The organization, which could be in an existing government agency or a new one, should also gather and analyze prescription drug spending data, estimate the consequences of failing to address drug shortages and coordinate a national policy, CIDRAP said.

Read the full report here: www.fdanews.com/10-22-20-cidrapcovid19viewpoint.pdf. — Martin Berman-Gorvine