News FDA Head Says Drug Shortages ‘Out of Our Control’

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FDA Head Says Drug Shortages ‘Out of Our Control’

Pain News Network
By: Pat Anson
5 June 2023

Excerpts:

With drug shortages in the U.S. near record levels, the head of the Food and Drug Administration says there is little his agency can do to ease shortages, particularly those involving generic drugs.

There are currently 207 medications in short supply, according to the FDA’s drug shortage list, but the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) has a much higher estimate of over 300 active drug shortages, the most since 2014.

Shortages of generic medications used to treat cancer and attention deficit disorder (ADHD) have gotten the most attention, but there are also emerging shortages of generic oxycodone and other opioid pain medications. About 90% of prescribed drugs in the U.S. are low-cost generics.

Teva has already informed the FDA that it was discontinuing production of 30, 15, and 5 mg tablets of generic oxycodone.