The FDA has announced the first drug shortage in the U.S. related to the coronavirus outbreak. It's not naming which medication is affected.
"A manufacturer has alerted us to a shortage of a human drug that was recently added to the drug shortages list," FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a statement Thursday night. "The manufacturer just notified us that this shortage is related to a site affected by coronavirus. The shortage is due to an issue with manufacturing of an active pharmaceutical ingredient used in the drug."
This is something the FDA warned about and experts anticipated. The FDA told Newsy since January 24th, it’s contacted over 180 manufacturers and reminded them they’re required to notify the FDA of any anticipated supply disruptions. The FDA also identified approximately 20 drugs whose active ingredients or finished products are solely sourced in China.
Six manufacturers of drugs specifically for animals have also indicated they are seeing disruptions in the supply chain that could lead to shortages.
Drug experts say they anticipate any shortages to hit specialized drugs used in hospitals, more than prescription medicines Americans take daily. If you are concerned about a possible shortage for a drug, now is the time to talk to your doctor about a workaround.
