Drug Shortages have been a serious problem for hospital pharmacies for over a decade and have caused some pharmacies to scramble to find the drug, or come up with viable alternatives.
Some causes of drug shortages include:
- No incentives for drug companies to produce less profitable drugs. One or more drug manufactures stop making the drug leading to increased demand with limited supply. Often the remaining manufacture(s) are caught off guard. Increasing production is not a quick process for any manufacturer.
- Disruption is difficult to overcome due to logistical and regulatory challenges.
Premier is working towards mitigating some drug shortages with their ProvideGx program.
How to Participate in ProvideGx:
- Request the ProvideGX Letter of Participation
- Opt-in by medication
- Purchase 65% of annual volume through ProvideGx
Drugs Currently Available:
- Cysteine
- Metoprolol Tartrate Vial
- Diphenhydramine HCl SDV
- Sodium Bicarbonate Vial
- Thiamine HCl MDV
- Xylocaine Inj. SDV, MDV
**Coming Soon–EMERGENCY Syringes: Epinephrine, Atropine, Sodium Bicarbonate, Calcium Carbonate, Lidocaine, Dextrose and Phytonadione
Contact Therese Caliendo at 402-742-2207 or Therese.Caliendo@phvne.com for more information.
References:
https://www.fda.gov/media/132059/download
ASHP guidelines on managing drug product shortages. Am J Health-Syst Pharm.2018; 75:1742-50.
https://communities.premierinc.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=79470091