Older Adults Hit Hardest by Prescription Drug Shortages

AARP supports federal fixes as shortages endanger access to vital medications

Miriam Cross,

AARP

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Published September 26, 2025

AARP (Getty Images)

Older adults rely on prescription drugs more than any other age group. That means breakdowns in the drug supply chain and drug shortages have particularly challenging consequences for them.  

A 2023 report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that nearly three-quarters of those impacted by drug shortages in the U.S. were between the ages of 45 and 85. 

The most common reason is issues with manufacturing quality, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Scarcities also occur when natural disasters devastate a production plant, there are drastic changes in how drugs are used, (such as with GLP-1s), manufacturers discontinue a product or raw materials experience production delays. 

“Shortages can happen for many reasons, from surging demand to supply disruptions, making it tough to pinpoint a single cause,” said Gidget Benitez, a government affairs director at AARP.  

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AARP is encouraging Congress to find holistic solutions to the problem that could help prevent such shortages in the future. 

A more restricted supply can cause drug prices to rise. But the steepest cost is to health when patients may be forced to stop taking a needed prescription or turn to other options because they can’t find the medicine they need. Moreover, if people flock to an alternative medication because their first choice is depleted, the problem continues. 

AARP is supporting federal efforts and proposals that would prevent prescription drug shortages, including:   

Stockpiling critical prescription drug ingredients 

President Trump signed an executive order on August 13 detailing plans to reserve a six-month supply of the active pharmaceutical ingredients, or APIs, needed to make certain critical drugs, with a focus on domestic sourcing. 

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The creation of this stockpile is important because “reduced access to needed prescription drugs — whether due to emergency circumstances, supply chain disruptions or other causes — can delay or deny critical care or force prescribers to turn to less effective alternatives,” Megan O’Reilly, vice president of health and family for government affairs at AARP, wrote in her letter to leaders within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on August 26. “We view this effort as one part of the more comprehensive changes that are needed for a sustainable solution.” 

Monitoring the supply chain 

On September 16, AARP chief advocacy and engagement officer Nancy LeaMond sent letters to a bipartisan group of senators and representatives endorsing the Mapping America’s Pharmaceutical Supply, or MAPS, Act. The bill, which has been referred to committees in both the House and Senate, would require federal agencies to coordinate with the private sector and “map” the entire supply chain of certain essential medicines and identify vulnerabilities — in other words, to create a clear picture of the producers, manufacturers and other entities involved in manufacturing the drugs from start to finish.  

“This information will play a crucial role in efforts to detect and prevent supply chain disruptions, helping to ensure that patients continue to have access to the medications they need,” LeaMond wrote to Senators Gary Peters (D-Mich.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Agnus King, Jr. (I-Maine) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.), as well as Representatives Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) and Dan Crenshaw (R-Tex.), who cosponsored these bills.  

Calling attention to the risks of a drug shortage 

AARP submitted a statement for the record on September 17 to the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, which organized a hearing about vulnerabilities in the drug supply chain and the challenges that drug shortages pose for older Americans. 

The statement stressed the importance of proactive measures such as an API stockpile, legislation mapping the drug supply chain and bipartisan work within the Senate Finance Committee to stabilize the supply of essential generic medicines. 

"For those managing health conditions, a stable and secure supply of medications is not just important, it is often life-sustaining," AARP wrote in the statement. "The federal government can play a vital role in proactively identifying risks and addressing weaknesses in the supply chain before they result in harmful shortages."

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