The American College of Physicians has issued a warning about unprecedented drug shortages in the U.S., saying outdated pharmaceutical supply chains are posing a threat to patient care and health systems.
According to an Aug. 12 position paper drafted by the ACP Health and Public Policy Committee, prescription drug shortages have reached record levels in recent years, impacting critical medications such as generic sterile injectables, antibiotics and hormone therapies. As of Sept. 2024, there were 277 active shortages with levels exceeding 275 over the past two years.
The ACP attributed the shortages to an aging manufacturing infrastructure, economic incentives that favor low-cost production, minimal supply chain transparency and vulnerability to geopolitical and environmental disruptions.
The drugs particularly at risk, the paper said, are low-margin, low-cost generics, as 84% of all drugs in shortage are generics, with more than half priced below $1 per unit. As a result, current procurement practices incentivize the lowest possible cost, the ACP said.
The ACP also called for coordinated action from policymakers, manufacturers and regulators to address immediate shortages and invest in longer-term solutions.
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