Common Drugs That Are in Short Supply Now

These shortages can happen for a number of reasons, ranging from high demand — like what we saw over the winter with strapped supplies of amoxicillin and medicine-cabinet must-haves — to problems with supply, say if a manufacturing plant closes or has issues with contaminants.

Another cause: Some medications become too expensive for drugmakers to produce, Ranney says, especially if they don’t generate much of a profit, as can be the case with generic drugs. “And it hurts the patient as a result,” she says.  

Shortages can have serious consequences

For some individuals, drug shortages can have little to no impact — nonemergency procedures can be delayed, or another drug can sub in just fine. Others, however, are left without options.

Millions of people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, have been struggling to find an alternative to Adderall as the shortage, first reported in October of 2022, stretches on in some areas. More than 4 percent of adults in the U.S. have ADHD.

Using the example of an antiseizure medication, Ranney says, “that may be the only medication that works well for that patient. And so when that medication is running short, they don’t have another alternative that’s going to control their seizures.”

Even if there are other medication alternatives, Ranney points out that switching a patient to a new prescription can be problematic. “It forces physicians, nurses and pharmacists to do calculations that they may not be used to or to try to figure out what the best substitute is. And it puts patients at risk of potential errors, particularly for kids where we do weight-based dosing,” she says.

In the case of cancer treatment, substitutions for cisplatin and carboplatin, which are generic medications, can be significantly more expensive, Northwestern’s Patel says.

Another potential issue: insurance coverage. “Not every patient’s insurance is going to cover every medication,” Ranney notes.

What can patients do?

If a drug that you normally take — or find out you need to take — turns up short, there are some things you can do.

First, if you have cancer and are going through treatment, know that doctors whose hospitals are dealing with shortages are working with other health care providers to try to get their patients the best medications for their care. Professional organizations are also issuing new treatment guidelines taking the shortage into account. “We’re doing this in a systematic way, using the best evidence that we have,” Patel says.

As far as other medications go, ask your health care provider or pharmacist if the shortage appears to be temporary or if it will be long-term, Schondelmeyer says. “Because that affects your alternatives as well. In the short term, we might be able to find other medications that can treat you temporarily until we get the preferred drug back. But if the preferred drug is totally out of the market, then you have to find a totally new strategy for treating the patient’s situation,” he says.

If your doctor does need to switch you from one medication to another, ask how it will affect your insurance coverage and whether the new drug will cause any new side effects or interfere with anything else you’re taking.

“The biggest thing, really, is that it reminds us that our health care system remains quite fragile,” Ranney says. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tracks drug shortages and works with manufacturers to resolve them. Still, Schondelmeyer says, a better system is needed to help prevent them in the first place.

Editor's note: This story, originally published December 15, 2022, has been updated to reflect new information.