This week we are once again providing an update on the most recent drug shortages.

Drug shortages currently remain at over 100 different medications, with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) noting 128 products as being unavailable. Some of these shortages are short term, or limited availability, while others are completely unavailable with unknown release dates.

As noted above, the current list stands at 128 products, which is up five from our last update in January. Below we have two separate lists of medications in short supply. The first list covers the most commonly used medications in ambulatory surgery centers, while the second addresses medications commonly used long-term care facilities.

Common ASC medications in short supply:

Albuterol Sulfate Inhalational Solution
Alprostadil (Muse) Suppository
Amifostine Injection
Amoxicillin Oral Powder for Suspension
Atropine Sulfate Injection
Azithromycin (Azasite) Ophthalmic Solution 1%
Bacteriostatic 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection
Bacteriostatic Water for Injection
Belladonna and Opium Suppositories
Bumetanide Injection
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride and Epinephrine Injection
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection
Calcium Gluconate Injection
Cefixime Oral Capsules
Cefotaxime Sodium Injection
Cefotetan Disodium Injection
Chloroprocaine Hydrochloride Injection
Collagenase Ointment
Cyclopentolate Ophthalmic Solution
Desmopressin Acetate Nasal Spray
Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection
Dexmedetomidine Injection
Dextrose 10% Injection
Dextrose 25% Injection
Dextrose 5% Injection
Dextrose 50% Injection
Diazepam Rectal Gel
Diflunisal Tablets
Difluprednate Ophthalmic Emulsion
Digoxin Injection
Diltiazem Hydrochloride Injection
Dobutamine Hydrochloride Injection
Dopamine Hydrochloride Injection
Echothiophate Iodide (Phospholine Iodide) Ophthalmic Solution
Epinephrine Injection, 0.1 mg/mL
Erythromycin Ophthalmic Ointment
Etomidate Injection
Fentanyl Citrate (Sublimaze) Injection
Furosemide Injection
Gentamicin Sulfate Injection
Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablets
Heparin Sodium and Sodium Chloride 0.9% Injection
Hydromorphone Hydrochloride Injection
Hydroxypropyl (Lacrisert) Cellulose Ophthalmic Insert
Indigotindisulfonate Sodium Injection
IV Fat Emulsion
Ketamine Injection
Ketorolac Tromethamine Injection
Lidocaine Hydrochloride (Xylocaine) and Dextrose Injection Solution-Premix Bags
Lidocaine Hydrochloride (Xylocaine) Injection
Lidocaine Hydrochloride (Xylocaine) Injection with Epinephrine
Lorazepam Injection
Mannitol Injection
Mepivacaine Hydrochloride Injection
Methylprednisolone Acetate Injection
Metronidazole Injection
Midazolam Injection
Morphine Sulfate Injection
Neomycin Sulfate Tablets
Oxybutynin Chloride Syrup
Oxytocin Injection
Pantoprazole Sodium for Injection
Physostigmine Salicylate Injection
Potassium Acetate Injection
Potassium Chloride Concentrate Injection
Remifentanil Injection
Rocuronium Bromide Injection
Ropivacaine Hydrochloride Injection
Sodium Acetate Injection
Sodium Bicarbonate Injection
Sodium Chloride 0.9% Injection Bags
Sodium Chloride 14.6% Injection
Sodium Chloride 23.4% Injection
Sodium Chloride Injection, 0.9% Vials and Syringes
Sterile Water for Injection
Sufentanil Citrate Injection
Triamcinolone Acetonide Injectable Suspension
Triamcinolone Hexacetonide Injectable suspension
Vecuronium Bromide for Injection

Common LTC medications in short supply:

Albuterol Sulfate Inhalational Solution
Alprostadil (Muse) Suppository
Amino Acids
Amoxapine Tablets
Amoxicillin Oral Powder for Suspension
Amphetamine Aspartate; Amphetamine Sulfate; Dextroamphetamine Saccharate; Dextroamphetamine Sulfate Tablets
Atropine Sulfate Injection
Azacitidine for Injection
Azithromycin (Azasite) Ophthalmic Solution 1%
Bacteriostatic 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection
Bacteriostatic Water for Injection
Belatacept (Nulojix) Lyophilized Powder for Injection
Belladonna and Opium Suppositories
Bumetanide Injection
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride and Epinephrine Injection
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection
Calcium Gluconate Injection
Capecitabine Tablets
Cefixime Oral Capsules
Cefotaxime Sodium Injection
Cefotetan Disodium Injection
Chloroprocaine Hydrochloride Injection
Chlorothiazide Oral Suspension
Clonazepam Tablets
Collagenase Ointment
Conjugated Estrogens/Bazedoxifene (DUAVEE) Tablet, Film Coated
Cyclopentolate Ophthalmic Solution
Cytarabine Injection
Dacarbazine Injection
Desmopressin Acetate Nasal Spray
Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection
Dextrose 10% Injection
Dextrose 25% Injection
Dextrose 5% Injection
Dextrose 50% Injection
Diazepam Rectal Gel
Diflunisal Tablets
Difluprednate Ophthalmic Emulsion
Digoxin Injection
Diltiazem Hydrochloride Injection
Disopyramide Phosphate (Norpace) Capsules
Dobutamine Hydrochloride Injection
Dopamine Hydrochloride Injection
Dulaglutide (Trulicity) Injection
Echothiophate Iodide (Phospholine Iodide) Ophthalmic Solution
Epinephrine Injection, 0.1 mg/mL
Erythromycin Ophthalmic Ointment
Fentanyl Citrate (Sublimaze) Injection
Fludarabine Phosphate Injection
Flurazepam Hydrochloride Capsules
Furosemide Injection
Gentamicin Sulfate Injection
Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablets
Heparin Sodium and Sodium Chloride 0.9% Injection
Hydromorphone Hydrochloride Injection
Hydroxypropyl (Lacrisert) Cellulose Ophthalmic Insert
Isoniazid Injection
IV Fat Emulsion
Ketorolac Tromethamine Injection
Leucovorin Calcium Lyophilized Powder for Injection
Lidocaine Hydrochloride (Xylocaine) and Dextrose Injection Solution-Premix Bags
Lidocaine Hydrochloride (Xylocaine) Injection
Lidocaine Hydrochloride (Xylocaine) Injection with Epinephrine
Lorazepam Injection
Mannitol Injection
Mepivacaine Hydrochloride Injection
Methotrexate Injection
Methyldopa Tablets
Methylprednisolone Acetate Injection
Metronidazole Injection
Morphine Sulfate Injection
Multi-Vitamin Infusion (Adult and Pediatric)
Neomycin Sulfate Tablets
Nizatidine Capsules
Oxybutynin Chloride Syrup
Oxytocin Injection
Pantoprazole Sodium for Injection
Pentostatin Injection
Physostigmine Salicylate Injection
Potassium Acetate Injection
Potassium Chloride Concentrate Injection
Quinapril and Hydrochlorothiazide Tablets
Quinapril Hydrochloride Tablets
Rifampin Capsules
Rifampin Injection
Rifapentine Tablets
Ropivacaine Hydrochloride Injection
Semaglutide (Ozempic) Injection
Semaglutide (WEGOVY®) Injection
Sodium Acetate Injection
Sodium Bicarbonate Injection
Sodium Chloride 0.9% Injection Bags
Sodium Chloride 14.6% Injection
Sodium Chloride 23.4% Injection
Sodium Chloride Injection, 0.9% Vials and Syringes
Sodium Phosphates Injection
Somatropin Injection
Sterile Water for Injection
Sucralfate Tablets
Sulfasalazine Tablets
Tirzepatide Injection
Triamcinolone Acetonide Injectable Suspension
Triamcinolone Hexacetonide Injectable suspension
Trimethobenzamide Hydrochloride Capsules

Additional medications to watch:

The following medications may not yet be in short supply, but should be monitored closely for potential disruptions: adenosine, alfentanil, cyclopentolate ophthalmic, levofloxacin ophthalmic, lidocaine topical, phenylephrine ophthalmic, sufentanil and tropicamide ophthalmic.

Steps you can take:

The solution to each shortage is going to differ by the medication involved and the available alternatives. In a previous post titled “Ten Steps to Dealing with Drug Shortages”, I discussed ways to deal with shortages.

If you are currently struggling with a particular shortage, work with your pharmacy consultant to come up with creative ways to work around it. This requires planning and expertise. Some solutions may seem obvious and easy, but they could be dangerous to patient safety and often not compliant with licensing or accreditation standards. If you have questions about a current shortage, or how to set up a compliant system, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

The Consultant Pharmacists at OctariusRx provide guidance on safe medication management, survey readiness and cost savings to ambulatory healthcare facilities/surgery centers, senior care facilities and pharmacies. We also help individual patients optimize their medications to improve their quality of life and save money. Contact us for assistance.