Drug shortages: Q3 2025 Update

As of July 1, 226 active drug shortages are affecting the U.S. healthcare system, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). While this is down from 270 in April, the problem remains significant—with many shortages dating back several years.

Overview

• 226 current drug shortages (down from 270 in April)
• 40%+ began in 2022 or earlier
• 3+ years: average duration of a shortage
• 4.6 years: average shortage time for injectable drugs

Why drug shortages happen

According to the U.S. Pharmacopeia, four main factors increase the likelihood of a shortage:

1. Low prices
2. Manufacturing complexity
3. Geographic concentration
4. Quality concerns

Additional triggers include:

• Increased demand (e.g., GLP-1s, ADHD medications)
• Extreme weather (e.g., Hurricane Helene disrupted Baxter’s production in NC)
• Geopolitical issues (e.g., China and India export restrictions, U.S. tariffs)

Brand name vs. generic drugs

• Brand-name drugs = 15% of prescriptions but 90% of U.S. drug spending
• Generics face more risk from tariffs due to thinner profit margins
• Over 50% of drug manufacturers for the U.S. market are overseas
  → A proposed 25% tariff could raise prices ~13% and disrupt supply

Most affected drug categories

The top five drug classes currently in shortage:

1. Central nervous system drugs
2. Antimicrobials
3. Hormone agents
4. Chemotherapies
5. Fluids and electrolytes

A recent survey by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (May–June 2024) found:

• 90% of cancer centers had at least one shortage
• 75% had shortages of two or more drugs
• Most impacted chemotherapy agents:
• Vinblastine
• Etoposide
• Topotecan

Financial and labor burden

According to Vizient’s June 2025 report:

• 20.2 million hours/year are spent managing shortages (up from 8.6M in 2019)
• Cost to hospitals: $894 million in 2024 (up from $359M in 2019)
• Medication errors also rose during this period

Global drug shortages

Drug shortages are a global problem:

• UK: Highest shortage levels in 4 years (e.g., pancreatic enzyme therapy)
• Mexico: Lacking antibiotics, anesthetics, pain meds
• Canada: Blood pressure meds in short supply
• Ireland: Shortages of GLP-1s, HRT, and ADHD drugs
• Australia: Pain, HIV prevention, HRT, antibiotics impacted
• Portugal: GLP-1s, methylphenidate, sucralfate, pancreatin in shortage
• France: Shortages affecting HIV, hypertension, mental health treatments

Recent U.S. shortages (2025 YTD)

Over 30 new shortages reported in 2025, including:

• Megestrol acetate (breast/uterine cancer)
• Erythromycin lactobionate injection (antibiotic)
• Morphine sulfate IR tablets (pain)
• Insulin degludec injection (diabetes)
• Methylphenidate patch (ADHD)

Longest running shortages (since 2015)

These drugs have been in shortage for nearly a decade:

• Vancomycin injection (serious infections)
• Magnesium sulfate injection
• Black Widow antivenin
• Doxorubicin injection (cancer)
• Clindamycin phosphate injection (bacterial infections)

What’s next?

With six months remaining in 2025, the outlook remains uncertain. While steps are being taken to strengthen supply chains and increase transparency, systemic challenges—like reliance on foreign manufacturing and natural disasters—continue to put pressure on drug availability.

Stay tuned for further updates as we monitor developments in Q4.

Further reading

• Drug shortage update: How 2025’s drug supply chain is evolving
• The current state of U.S. drug shortages
• Pharmacy deserts: A growing problem in the U.S.

References

• Current Drug Shortages. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
• Drug Shortages Statistics. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
• U.S. drug shortages reach decade-high and last longer. U.S. Pharmacopeia. June 4, 2024.
• Jeremias, Skylar. Report Reveals Mounting Burdens of Drug Shortages on US Health System. American Journal of Managed Care. June 27, 2025.
• Kaplan, Warren A., Hamer, Davidson H., and Shioda, Kayoko. The potential impact of climate change on medication access and quality deserves far more attention. One Health. June 2025.
• Rogin, Ali and Young, Kaisha. What’s causing the unusually high number of drug shortages in the U.S. PBS News. November 3, 2023.
• Johnson, Steven Ross. Hurricane Helene Leaves IV Fluid Shortage in its Wake. U.S. News & World Report. October 17, 2024.
• Takeda to Discontinue Manufacturing of NATPAR® / NATPARA® for Patients with Hypoparathyroidism at the End of 2024. Takeda. October 4, 2022.
• Brennan, Zachary. Orphan Drug Recall Leaves Patients in the Lurch. Regulatory Focus. November 11, 2019.
• Boss, Piper. The Growing Crisis of Drug Shortages in the United States. Spinnaker. January 22.
• Why Is There a Shortage of Glp-1 Diabetes Type 2 Medications Such as Ozempic? Morris & Garritano. April 9, 2024.
• Tin, Alexander. Why is there an ADHD medication shortage in 2024? What’s making generics of Vyvanse, Adderall and more so scarce. CBS News. February 8, 2024.
• Drug Safety: FDA Has Faced Persistent Challenges Overseeing Foreign Drug Manufacturing. U.S. Government Accountability Office. February 6, 2024.
• Wosinska, Marta E. Will pharmaceutical tariffs achieve their goals? The Brookings Institution. March 27, 2025.
• Winny, Annalies. What Pharmaceutical Tariffs Would Mean for Americans. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. June 17, 2025.
• Helhoski, Anna. Pharmaceutical Tariffs And Drug Shortages: How Costs Could Rise. Nerdwallet. May 2, 2025.
• Kansteiner, Frasier. Number of ongoing US drug shortages reaches new high, pharmacist group says. FiercePharma. April 11, 2024.
• Clancy, Erin. Drug Shortages Still Affecting US Cancer Centers, Survey Shows. Cancer Therapy Advisor. June 26, 2024.
• Beyond the shortage: The hidden cost of drug supply chain disruptions. Vizient. June 2025.
• New Vizient Survey Finds Drug Shortages Cost Hospitals Nearly $900M Annually in Labor Expenses. Businesswire. June 17, 2025.
• Campbell, Denis. Brexit a key factor in worst UK medicine shortages in four years, report says. The Guardian. March 22, 2025.
• Pym, Hugh. Pharmacists warn drug shortage affecting cancer patients. BBC. June 2, 2025.
• Health Workers Protest in Mexico Over Medical Supply Shortage. Mexico Business News. February 17, 2025.
• Dabu, Christi. Canada lists blood pressure medication on drug shortages site. CTV News. April 12, 2025.
• White, Jack. Drug shortages adding to workloads at Irish pharmacies. The Irish Times. May 10, 2025.
• Heaney, Chelsea. ‘Too little, too late’: An investigation into medication shortages. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. January 8, 2025.
• Availability of Medicines. Infarmed. Autoridade Nacional do Medicamento e Produtos de Saude L.P.
• Disponibilité des produits de santé. Liste des médicaments. Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament et des produits de santé.
• Megestrol Acetate Tablets. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. June 26, 2025.
• Megestrol (oral route). Mayo Clinic.
• Erythromycin Lactobionate Injection. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. May 30, 2025.
• Erythromycin Lactobionate (Monograph). Drugs.com.
• Morphine Sulfate Immediate-Release Tablets. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. June 6, 2025.
• Morphine Immediate-Release Tablets. Cleveland Clinic.
• Insulin Degludec Injection. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. June 9, 2025.
• Insulin Degludec Injection. Cleveland Clinic.
• Methylphenidate Transdermal System. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. May 25, 2025.
• Methylphenidate Transdermal Patch. MedlinePlus.
• Vancomycin Hydrochloride Injection. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. June 20, 2025.
• Vancomycin Injection. MedlinePlus.
• Magnesium Sulfate Injection. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. May 18, 2025.
• Magnesium Sulfate Injection. Cleveland Clinic.
• Antivenin Latrodectus Mactans (Black Widow Spider Antivenin). American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. April 28, 2025.
• Antivenin (latrodectus mactans) (injection route). Mayo Clinic.
• Doxorubicin Injection. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. June 17, 2025.
• Doxorubicin injection. Cleveland Clinic.
• Clindamycin Phosphate Injection. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. June 17, 2025.
• Clindamycin (intramuscular route, intravenous route). Mayo Clinic.

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