A study conducted by the American Cancer Society found that climate-related weather disasters are threatening the stability of the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain.
Here are three things to know:
- The study, published Aug. 20 in JAMA, highlighted how weather disaster events such as Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Maria triggered national shortages of IV fluids by damaging manufacturing sites, according to an Aug. 20 ACS news release shared with Becker’s. Researchers found that out of 10,861 drug facilities operating between 2019 and 2024, there were 6,819 in disaster-affected areas.
- Hurricanes were the most common disaster affecting regions, but a number of environment-related events contributed to supply risk, the study said. Between 2019 and 2024, nearly two-thirds of active U.S. pharmaceutical production facilities were in counties that experienced at least one weather disaster, including hurricanes, floods, wildfires and storms.
- Researchers pointed to a critical need for improved disaster preparedness in the drug supply chain to reduce shortage risks, especially for essential medications.
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