You will find a phone number for the manufacturer listed on the FDA website, and you may use this number to inquire about the availability of the product at local pharmacies. If you are having problems locating your medicine in stock at the pharmacy, you can make a search for it online.
Contents
Why do pharmacies run out of drugs?
Drug product shortages have been effectively addressed by pharmacists for a number of years, but the challenge that the profession is facing today is unlike anything that has ever been seen before. According to Parwana Shah, who works as the associate director of inpatient pharmacy services at the Penn-Presbyterian Medical Center located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, “the number of shortages is tremendous.” “In the past, it would only be one or two here and there, but we were able to handle it.
But as of right moment, there’s a new one every single day.” According to Shah, recent medicinal product shortages are made worse by concurrent shortages of crucial supplies, such as IV bags and needles, which are required to give drugs.
This is because IV bags and needles are used in intravenous infusions. “We can’t even obtain the tubing so the nurses can hang the medications,” Shah said, adding that the nurses sometimes have to “push” pharmaceutical dosages using a syringe rather than using an infusion pump.
“We can’t even get the tubing so the nurses can hang the drugs,” Shah said. She remarked that there were challenges at each and every stage of the process. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cites issues with manufacturing quality, production delays, and product discontinuations as some of the most common reasons for shortages.
These variables are still having an effect on the medication supply, according to Michael Ganio, who is the senior director of pharmacy practice and quality for the ASHP. On the other hand, he stated that the current worsening of shortages “seems to be tied to the epidemic, as well as staffing concerns, and simply basic supply-chain challenges.” Ganio made the observation that the sorts of medications that are in limited supply are some of the most fundamental things that are used in the distribution of other medications.
- “This makes the severity of these shortages that much more unpleasant and harmful to patient care,” said one medical professional;
- In only the first week of March, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ (ASHP) Medication Shortages Resource Center reported more than a dozen modifications to various drug shortage warnings;
A number of essential medications, including sodium chloride solution, sodium bicarbonate and dextrose injection, bacteriostatic water, Ringer’s solution, and injectable products containing potassium chloride, acetate, and phosphate, are now on the list of medications that are in low supply.
According to Edward McLean, the pharmacy operations manager at Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Florida, many of those products have been on the hospital’s recent shortage list. Twenty and one hundred milliequivalents per fifty milliliters of intravenous potassium chloride injection bags rank among his primary concerns.
According to McLean, the daily use of potassium chloride injection by IV at the community hospital is between eighty and one hundred bags. “We’re trying to acquire everything we can from any supplier, simply to guarantee there is consistency of supply for our patients,” he added.
- “We’re trying to obtain anything we can from any provider.” According to Shah, the premixed sterile IV supplies for critically sick patients are the most severe current scarcity for her organization;
- This is in addition to basic fluids, which are also in limited supply;
In addition to this, the pharmacy is responsible for handling sporadic stockouts of commonly used goods throughout the hospital. “For instance,” Shah said, “over the course of the previous several months, glucose gel, of all things, is not accessible at all.” Dave Jungst, who is the director of pharmacy at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, shared the sentiment, saying, “We can’t obtain it, either.” According to Jungst, one of the more peculiar shortages that occurred recently in the area involves patients needing little glasses of fruit juice.
This situation highlights the precarious nature of supply networks in general. He made a witty remark such as, “If we can’t obtain orange juice in Florida, we’re in trouble.” A continuing lack of pharmacy technicians to operate in compounding rooms, fill automated dispensing cabinets, and do other operations that optimize the availability of important items may also have an impact on hospitals.
How to manage pharmacy inventory | Pharmacy inventory management | Pharmacy tech study guide
According to the statement made by Ganio from the ASHP, “We know from surveys that we’ve done of pharmacy executives that there are difficulties with technician staffing levels right now.” There are certain pharmaceutical departments that are not negatively impacted by the lack of technicians.
According to McLean, the pharmacy board-accredited technician training program at his hospital is a dependable supply of skilled pharmacy technicians who ensure that operations are carried out without a hitch.
When speaking about the initiative, he remarked, “It’s definitely enabled us to supplement our workforce.” According to Ganio, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) has worked closely with the drug information service at the University of Utah for over twenty years to monitor prescription product shortages, investigate their root causes, and forecast how long these shortages will last.
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) takes lobbying and collaboration with FDA employees, stakeholders, and lawmakers involved in all aspects of the medication supply chain as additional covert measures to combat drug shortages.
A significant number of the important policy suggestions made by ASHP are detailed in the recommendations made the previous year for making the supply chain more resilient. Among other things, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) has advocated for modifications to be made to the processes by which the Strategic National Stockpile generates and manages supplies of essential pharmaceuticals and makes them available in the event of an emergency.
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) has urged for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to grade the quality management approach used by manufacturers so that purchasers may better foresee supply chain and production vulnerabilities.
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) is in favor of regulatory changes that would require manufacturers to disclose the locations of their manufacturing sites as well as the sources of the active pharmaceutical ingredients used in their products.
- This would include the locations of any contract manufacturers “These actions will potentially help purchasers acquire products from manufacturing facilities that have a better history with quality assurance and the maturity of their quality program,” Ganio said;
“These actions will help purchasers acquire products from manufacturing facilities that have a better history with quality assurance.” He stated that the ASHP also takes active action on particular product shortages. For instance, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) has requested that the FDA prolong the expiration dates of specific lots of dextrose injection in order to guarantee the availability of the items.
In response to the concerns raised by its members regarding the quality of medications obtained through outsourcing, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) is developing an evaluation tool that pharmacists can use before engaging in business with a 503B compounding outsourcing facility.
According to him, 503B facilities can be a helpful resource for obtaining drugs that are in short supply as long as the facilities can obtain the raw materials and supplies that are necessary to prepare the medications. He said this is the case only if the facilities can obtain the raw materials and supplies.
- According to McLean, the in-house pharmacy staff at his hospital manufactures as many compounded sterile items as is humanly possible, and they also make use of the services provided by a 503B facility that is linked with the hospital’s group buying organization;
The hospital is collaborating with other 503B hospitals to get additional supply of the essential items in an effort to assist in mitigating the effects of the dextrose injection shortage. “We are aware that this deficiency will not be resolved in the near term due to the lack of available resources.
We are working to cultivate those connections and build those histories with the 503Bs in order to reduce the likelihood of any interruptions to the activities related to patient care “McLean added. According to Jungst, the pharmacy has made certain adjustments to its business practices in order to mitigate the consequences of the medicine shortage.
“Because of this, the dextrose syringes that were on our code blue carts had to be removed. As a result, pharmacists who attend those events are now required to have syringes with them just in case they are required to administer medication “he stated. And in order to keep things from becoming stale, we are working on consolidating the inventory as much as possible.
According to Jungst, one of the additional tactics for managing shortages is to use a number of different product strengths and package designs, depending on what is available. According to what Jungst had to say, “It’s giving us a lot of work since the protocols, the processes, and the order sets all have to be updated to suit the changes.” According to Ganio, pharmacists put forth a significant amount of effort to collaborate with one another and work behind the scenes to ensure that patients receive the necessary treatment.
He stated that as a result of these efforts, patients may not be aware that a medicine shortage impacted the initial treatment plan that was developed for them. According to him, one of the drawbacks of these efforts is that “with shortages becoming invisible, there is less public uproar over the persistent issue of shortages.” According to Jungst, his nurse and physician colleagues are fully aware of the situation despite the fact that the general population may be mainly uninformed of the medicine shortage crisis. “The medical staff is very much on board with helping us come up with solutions that work for them and the patient.” “There is an enormous amount of understanding that medicine shortages have been going on for a very long time,” the author writes.
How long does it take when a prescription is out of stock?
Your medicine is now unavailable. Depending on how much of your prescription the pharmacy still has on hand, you might be able to acquire a supply that lasts anywhere from one to three days while the pharmacy orders the rest of the drug. It’s also possible that your pharmacy will need to place a fresh order for your medicine before they can get your whole prescription ready for you to pick up the day after tomorrow.
What happens if a pharmacy doesn’t have your medication?
Pharmacist or family physician? – Who you should report the lost medicine to depends on the kind of prescription you typically take. If it’s a prescription, you’ll need to get a new one from your primary care physician (GP) or practice nurse, but if it’s an over-the-counter drug, your best choice is to ask your local pharmacist about it.
According to McDougall, “if it is a prescription drug, the pharmacist is required by law to supply the medicine that the doctor has prescribed for the patient.” When it comes to over-the-counter medications, pharmacists are able to provide advice on equivalent substitutes.
Because there are many different drugs and brands on the market, the pharmacist will be able to provide you with a number of alternate options to choose from in the event that your desired medication is not available. According to Abdeh, pharmacists often have a “like for like” version of each drug in store; therefore, even if the kind you need isn’t in stock, another version might be delivered.
- “In the event that there is not a comparable replacement option,” he continues, “the pharmacist may be required to make a request for an alternate prescription from your physician.” “To begin, in order for you to switch prescription medications, they will need to give you permission to fill a new prescription;
Second, because they will have access to your whole medical history, they will be able to ensure that the new drug that you are going to take is completely risk-free for you to do so. However, in the majority of instances, the pharmacist will be able to provide you with a medication that is analogous to treat your illness.
What do you mean you do not have my medication in stock why not?
A shortage caused by the manufacturer occurs when the manufacturer has not produced enough to meet consumer demand. In this scenario, they can restrict the quantity of medication that can be ordered by each pharmacy. When this occurs, we will provide a quantity of the medication that is sufficient for a few days, and we will send the remaining balance when the drug is once again available for purchase.
What drug is currently in shortage 2022?
Existing Problems with Drug Supply
| Generic Name | Revision Date |
|---|---|
| Acetylcysteine Oral and Inhalation Solution | August 14, 2022 |
| Acyclovir Injection | May 31, 2022 |
| Albuterol Inhalation Solution | July 1, 2022 |
| Albuterol Sulfate Metered Dose Inhalers | December 15, 2021 |
.
Why is there a shortage of generic Adderall?
‘In a nutshell, the shortage occurred because the Drug Enforcement Administration did not take into account, during the allotment period, the fact that the two biggest selling stimulants—Concerta and Adderall XR—were going generic,’ adds Dodson. ‘In other words, the DEA did not anticipate that the generic versions of these two stimulants would become available.’.
How common are drug shortages?
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) recognized 224 instances of medication shortages that occurred between the years 1996 and 2002. But every year since 2006, there has been an increase in the number of medicine shortages. In 2009, the number of people in need of medication began to approach an emergency level.
How do I know if my CVS prescription is in stock?
After your specialized Rx has been dispatched, you will be able to sign in and monitor the progress of your purchase online, or you will be able to get status updates by email or text message. * To check the status of your purchase and find out when it is expected to arrive at CVS Pharmacy® or the delivery location you picked, all you have to do is click or touch the link that was included in the alert.
How do I find out if something is in stock at CVS?
Customers or patients who are situated in a country or territory that is not a part of the United States or any of its territories are unable to use the CVS.com® website. We are sorry for any trouble this may cause. If you are a member of the United States military and are temporarily stationed or permanently deployed outside of the country and want assistance with your order, please contact our Customer Service team at 1-800-SHOP CVS (1-800-746-7287).
How long does it take for CVS to restock prescriptions?
Restocking at CVS – Certain days of the week are reserved for stocking at small grocery stores that do not carry a large selection of products. However, major grocery shops are required to complete this task everyday, typically during the night or early in the morning, so that consumers may have a shopping experience that is uninterrupted.
Numerous pharmacies have protocols in place that require them to restock the drug 7 to 14 days after the initial supply. The amount of time between refills might vary from CVS register to CVS register. Once every one or two weeks, it replenishes its supply of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and other items that are congruent with this category.
It does not imply that CVS does not care if it runs out of supply within a few days; they still make an effort to restock. It refills its supply anytime it is low on stock in the middle of the interval. The drugs are restocked more regularly than any of the other things sold here.
- As a result, the clients always have something available for them;
- In the event that it runs out of stock, it will be refilled within a week, however depending on demand, certain CVS shops will resupply twice each week;
Customers can check the inventory of the store’s available merchandise by going online to the CVS website.
Why is there a shortage of Adderall?
The Food and Medication Administration (FDA) has been reporting since September 2019 that the medicines in Adderall, which are amphetamine salts, are “now in scarcity” owing to “demand growth in the drug.” Even before the epidemic, the United States had already used 83.1 percent of the available supply worldwide.
