The FDA has reported shortages of 112 drugs across the U.S. as of Nov. 9, ranging from antibiotics to injectable opioids, WMBD-TV reported. Jerry Storm, senior vice president of pharmacy services at OSF HealthCare in Peoria, Ill., told WMBD-TV that his health system is seeing shortages of antibiotics, injectable opioids and electrolytes. The health system is working closely with wholesalers and group purchasing organizations to manage shortages, he said.
Alice Driscoll, regional pharmacy director at UnityPoint Health, told WMBD-TV her health system has “noticed an increase in the number of shortages in the last few weeks and anticipate that to continue through the end of the year. … Although a great deal of time and resources are required to manage pharmaceutical shortages, we are successful in mitigating most shortages with little to no clinical impact to our patients.”
The FDA told WMBD-TV it is “actively monitoring drug availability, and we are committed to working with our public health partners, manufacturers and distributors to help mitigate shortages and make help ensure continued patient access to vital, safe and effective drugs.”
