Health Care

US Pharmaceutical Drug Shortages Reach Record High

New data show a shortage of 323 prescription drugs—the highest number since data collection began in 2001.
US Pharmaceutical Drug Shortages Reach Record High
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A.C. Dahnke
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Despite efforts to stabilize the availability and cost of medications, prescription drug shortages have reached record highs in the United States.

The news comes from new data released by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) detailing a shortage of 323 in the first quarter of 2024. The number marks the highest on record since the industry group began tracking shortage data in 2001.
A.C. Dahnke
A.C. Dahnke
Author
A.C. Dahnke is a freelance writer and editor residing in California. She has covered community journalism and health care news for nearly a decade, winning a California Newspaper Publishers Award for her work.