Drug Shortages in the Perioperative Setting: Causes, Impact, and Strategies

A DRUG SHORTAGE is defined as ‘‘a situation in which the total supply of all clinically interchangeable versions of an FDA-regulated drug is inadequate to meet the current or projected demand at the user level.’’  An inadequate supply of a drug alters how the pharmacy prepares or dispenses a drug product, and/or it can more directly affect patient care if an alternate drug must be used because of unavailability of the preferred drug. From 2003 to 2006, the number of drug shortages was fairly low (about 70 shortages each year), with little variability from year to year. From 2007 to 2010, however, the number of drug shortages increased dramatically each year (from 129 in 2007 to 211 in 2010). In 2011, a record high of 267 drug shortages was reported.