The number of active drug shortages has declined sharply since June, according to the FDA’s drug shortage database.
Seventy-five drugs were in shortage as of Dec. 30, down from 194 in mid-June.
The decline reflects updates to the FDA’s database, which is modified daily to reflect manufacturing recoveries, regulatory actions and how shortages are classified — not solely day-to-day availability at the hospital level.
The current list is dominated by hospital-administered injectables and essential acute care medications, including anesthesia drugs, critical care sedatives, IV fluids, antibiotics and cancer therapies.
The most recent medications on the shortage list were sodium acetate injection and hydroxocobalamin injection, added Dec. 22 and Dec. 19, respectively.
View the full list of drug shortages here.
