For the report, the GAO analyzed 2010-2015 drug shortage data from the University of Utah Drug Information Service in Salt Lake City, along with shortage trends from the Food and Drug Administration.
According to the report, there were 136 new drug shortages in 2015, compared to 257 reported in 2011. The number of ongoing shortages increased from 184 in 2011 to 291 in 2015.
Factors that may affect the shortages include a reduced amount of suppliers and low profit margins for generic drugs.
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