Why are there so many drug shortages and what’s being done to stop them?

PITTSBURGH — Some local pharmacies tell Channel 11 it’s hard to know day-to-day which popular prescription drugs they can get.

There are shortages nationwide of popular drugs like Adderall and amoxicillin, which is causing parents a lot of stress.

Channel 11′s Jennifer Tomazic looked into just what series of steps are behind each of these shortages and what the Food and Drug Administration is doing to address the problems nationwide.

“Every day it is like a guessing game, like what can I get in?,” said Jenn Staley, lead pharmacy tech at Asti’s Pharmacy in the South Hills.

It’s been like that for a couple of months and it’s getting harder for Staley. The problems started with Adderall.

“Every once in a while it will pop in stock and we’re like, ‘Oh, we’re going to grab this really quick,’ and then there’s times I’m like, let me see what I can do,” said Staley.

The FDA declared a shortage of Adderall, the drug for ADHD, on Oct. 12. One of the companies that makes it was having some ongoing intermittent manufacturing delays, and the other companies that make it can’t meet the demand . To ensure their customers are taken care of, Jenn checks two different wholesalers. While she was doing that this week, she noticed another drug for ADHD, Concerta, had restrictions.

“I’m having a really, really hard time finding any strength on any manufacturer,” said Staley.

That hits home with her family.

“As a parent with a son who is on it, and (age) 14, I’m like, ‘Oh no, how many tablets does he have left? If I don’t have a date, when this will be available?’ So it’s a little bit of a stressor right now.”

Staley says usually when a drug has a shortage, they are given a date when it will be available, but they haven’t gotten a date for Adderall yet.

That’s also the case for amoxicillin, which is one of the most commonly used antibiotics, especially for kids with ear infections, bronchitis or pneumonia. This week, the FDA put the oral powder form on its shortage list.

“It is on a current allocation to where we can only get three to four bottles in a week, which kind of stinks, but we currently have some on hand so it’s not completely affecting us,” said Staley.

Staley is mindful that it could be an issue if they start to run out of it. NBC News reports the FDA is aware of intermittent supply interruptions and is working with drug makers.

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