The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) has released a report on national drug shortages from January 2001 to March 2025.
The number of active drug shortages currently is 270, “virtually unchanged for the past three quarters, but down from an all-time high in the first quarter of 2024.”
Hurricane Helene’s disruptions to supply chains remain a concern for manufacturing, as shortages remain of certain “critical and life-saving fluids.” That said, more than one-third of active shortages (41%) “began in 2022 or earlier.” In 2024, the majority of the reasoning for shortages was either unknown or unprovided (55%), but 17% pointed the finger at manufacturing and 9% blamed the hurricane or “business decision” broadly.
Another concern is that “workload required to manage shortages, including work to change pharmacy automation and electronic health records, adds to the challenges of pharmacy staff shortages.”
