A research letter published in JAMA Network Open discussed the prevalence of drug shortages and the negative outcomes associated. CIDRAP has the news.
The perceived prevalence of drug shortages was “high, at 88%, and participants said one in five patients had an outcome associated with drug shortages, such as pervasiveness, treatment changes and outcomes, and administrative burdens. The drug categories with the highest rate of severe outcomes were endocrinologic drugs (54%), stimulants (52%), and drugs for infectious diseases (26%).”
The most common outcome for changes in quality of care was “altering the drug of choice,” at 92%, and postponing prescribing happened in 63% of cases. PCPs also noted that drug shortages resulted in more work for them. This demonstrates that both clinicians and patients stand to be frustrated by drug shortages.
The study was “based on answers to a web-based survey conducted from July to August 2024 among primary care providers (PCPs) affected by drug shortages, with 902 participants included in the final analysis.”
