Drug shortage Alert: Millions of patients affected as FDA reports shortfalls of essential drugs

Millions of U.S. patients are facing medication shortages, according to recent FDA data. The Adderall drug shortage in particular has received significant attention in recent months. Other notable drugs currently facing shortages include the bronchodilator Albuterol and the popular antibiotics amoxicillin and azithromycin.

The pandemic and supply chain challenges are partly to blame for the drug shortages. In recent years, manufacturing output for some drugs sank as a result of factors such as pandemic-induced restrictions and worker shortages. The pandemic also contributed to supply chain disruptions. For instance, China and India, both major suppliers of active pharmaceutical ingredients and other materials. As a result, the pharma industry has been forced to find new ways to ensure a steady supply of raw materials and ingredients.

To illustrate the impact of these drug shortage problems on patients and providers, we have compiled a list of some of the most recent drug shortages and their causes. We rank the entries based on the volume of prescriptions in 2020.

Drug Name	Number of Prescriptions in 2020	Cause of Shortage
1. Adderall (amphetamine salts)	26.1 million	Increased demand during the pandemic and manufacturing delays. FDA announced the shortage in October 2022.
2. Albuterol (ventolin)	17.9 million	Increased demand from patients suffering from respiratory illnesses such as RSV, influenza and COVID-19. Closure of generics firm Akorn Pharmaceuticals in February 2023, according to ASHP.
3. Amoxicillin (Brand names Amoxil, Trimox)	12.8 million	Demand surge for antibiotics, delays and supply chain issues. Recent amoxicillin shortages have hit oral suspensions of the drug the hardest. Some manufacturers have not explained the reason behind the shortages.
4. Azithromycin (Brand name Zithromax)	7.4 million	Demand surge for antibiotics, delays and supply chain issues.
5. Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection (Brand name Decadron)	4.8 million	High demand for COVID-19 treatment. Manufacturing delays.
6. Bupivacaine hydrochloride injection (Brand name Marcaine)	3.6 million	Limited availability of raw materials. Increased demand for surgical procedures.
7. Clonazepam tablets (Brand name Klonopin)	2.5 million	Increased demand for anxiety treatment.
8. Cisplatin injection (Brand name Platinol)	1.5 million	Manufacturing delays and increased demand.
9. Cefotaxime sodium injection (Brand name Claforan)	1.4 million	Discontinuations by Hospira, Sanofi and Hikma, according to ASHP.
10. (tied) Cyclopentolate ophthalmic solution (Brand name Cyclogyl)	1.3 million	Closure of generics firm Akorn Pharmaceuticals in February 2023, according to ASHP.
10. (tied) Desmopressin acetate nasal spray (Generic DDAVP)	1.3 million	Continued impact from Ferring 2020 recall of desmopressin nasal spray. Amring has discontinued its marketing of the product, according to ASHP.