Active drug shortages in the U.S. climbed to 223 in the first quarter of 2026, the second consecutive quarterly increase. Buried in that count are dozens of manufacturer-specific dates — extended-use deadlines, promised “next delivery” windows, backorder recovery targets — that pharmacy teams are tracking lot by lot. Several of those dates land this month.
Here are six hospital-use drugs with a shortage-related deadline in July, according to the FDA’s drug shortage database and its list of extended use dates:
1. Atropine sulfate injection — Hospira, a Pfizer company’s, 1-milligram/10-milliliter prefilled syringe (NDC 0409-1630-10) is listed with a next delivery of July 2026 and an estimated recovery of September, attributed to a manufacturing delay.
2. Dantrolene sodium for injectable suspension — Eagle Pharmaceuticals’ 250-milligram single-dose vial (NDC 42367-540-32, lot B235034) loses its FDA-granted shelf-life extension July 31.
3. Carboplatin injection — Both Hospira and Fresenius Kabi list July 2026 as their next delivery or release date for this chemotherapy drug, with Pfizer citing increased demand and an estimated September recovery.
4. Lorazepam injection — Hospira’s 2-milligram/1-milliliter syringe is on the same July-delivery, September-recovery timeline due to a manufacturing delay. It’s used for status epilepticus, procedural sedation and alcohol withdrawal.
5. Technetium Tc-99m pyrophosphate kit injection — Curium’s Technescan PYP, used for cardiac imaging, is expected to become available again via allocation in mid-July after an active-ingredient shortage.
6. Furosemide injection — Avet Pharmaceuticals has targeted backorder recovery by July 30 for this IV diuretic, a routine drug in heart failure and fluid-overload management.
How two hospitals are managing shortages:
- Leaning on group purchasing organizations and peer hospitals. David Young, vice president of pharmacy operations at Brockton, Mass.-based Signature Healthcare, told Becker’s that GPOs and roughly a month’s buffer supply of critical drugs have helped his system manage 216 active shortages, alongside informal swaps with other hospitals. “When you have a shortage, you have to change practices on the fly,” he said, naming lorazepam and midazolam among the most disruptive.
- Building real-time inventory visibility instead of relying on static reports. At Thomasville, Ga.-based Archbold Medical Center, a platform-based approach to medication management helped avoid 512 stockouts, saved $1.9 million and cut technician inventory labor by 20%, said Andrea Jarzyniecki, PharmD, the system’s director of pharmacy. Rather than spreading inventory thin, Archbold focuses on stronger reserves for 50 to 70 critical drugs — mostly generic sterile injectables — instead of the 100-plus locations a single medication might otherwise sit across. “You’ve got to know what’s going on in your system and be able to make proactive decisions,” she said.
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.