The majority of primary care physicians report that drug shortages affect the quality of patient care and increase administrative burdens, according to new research published in JAMA Network Open.
The cross-sectional survey, conducted by researchers from the American Medical Association, collected responses from 902 U.S. primary care physicians between July and August 2024. Eighty-eight percent of respondents said they had experienced a drug shortage in the past six months.
Three key findings from the survey:
- Eighty-seven percent said drug shortages negatively affected care quality. Among this group, 92% reported responding by altering the drug of choice, while 63% said they postponed prescribing.
- Drug categories linked to the highest rates of severe outcomes included endocrinologic drugs (54%), stimulants (52%) and infectious disease treatments (26%).
- Most physicians said drug shortages added administrative burden. Seventy-three percent of respondents reported an increase in prior authorization paperwork related to substitute medications.
“New care plan formulations caused by drug shortages are challenging for physicians, with multiple factors considered to ensure appropriate care alternatives and an increased staff workload with limited reimbursement,” researchers said. “Drug shortages result in more prior authorization requests because alternate medications may differ from the standard of care or may not have included a patient’s formulary. This workplace stress caused most participants to feel frustrated by drug shortages.”
