Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Need Tricks and Tools to Manage Ongoing Drug Shortages

Pharmacy Times September 17, 2024
Jeanette Y. Wick, MBA, RPh, FASCP

Different drug products require varying approaches to handle access challenges
and ensure continuation of care.

Introduction

Every area of medical practice continues to deal with drug shortages—supply issues that affect how the pharmacy prepares or dispenses a drug product or influence patient care when prescribers must use an alternative.¹ The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists quarterly report listed 244 shortages at the end of July 2024.² Under shortages, health care providers have rationed, delayed, or canceled treatment or procedures.³ Drug shortages can also lead to medication errors or disease progression.^4-6

Table 1^1,7-10 lists reasons drug shortages occur. Traditionally, generic injectables have been affected most critically, but other drugs can be affected.

Clinical Conundrums

Clinical challenges resulting from shortages (eg, treatment delays,...

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