More than one-third (41%) of active drug shortages began in 2022 or earlier, according to a new report from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
The report tracks national drug shortage trends from January 2001 through March 2025. So far this year, the ASHP has reported 26 new drug shortages. Since an all-time high of 323 active drug shortages in early 2024, the number of active shortages is now 270.
The “[w]orkload required to manage shortages, including work to change pharmacy automation and electronic health records, adds to the challenges of pharmacy staff shortages,” the report said.
In 2024, 17% of shortages were related to manufacturing issues, 9% to Hurricane Helene, 9% to business decisions, 8% to supply and demand, and 2% to a raw material problem. Manufacturers did not or refused to provide a reason for 55% of shortages.
On April 9, the U.S. Government Accountability Office recommended that HHS coordinate with the FDA and other agencies on mitigating these shortages, which the watchdog group categorized as a “serious public health concern.”
