Drug shortages pose a significant national security risk. Here’s what pharmacies need to do to minimize the negative impact.

In recent years, the United States has seen an alarming rise in drug shortages. According to a new report, these shortages pose a significant national security risk. The report, released by the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI), highlights the potential consequences of not addressing this growing problem.

The NSCAI report states that drug shortages are becoming more frequent and severe, with more than 200 drugs currently in short supply in the United States. These shortages are impacting critical care medications, such as antibiotics, anticoagulants, and pain medications, which are essential for treating both civilian and military patients.

Lack of visibility in the pharmaceutical supply chain

The lack of visibility in the supply chain has been a serious problem for years. While changes in the Drug Supply Chain Security Act help secure data and visibility with the chain of custody of pharmaceuticals, the NSCAI report goes further recommending several actions to address the problem of drug shortages, including increasing market transparency around the drug supply chain, promoting domestic drug manufacturing, and incentivizing the development of new drugs. The report also suggests that the government should consider stockpiling critical medications to ensure that they are available in the event of a crisis.

Globalizations of the pharmaceutical industry

One of the main reasons for the drug shortages is the increasing globalization of the pharmaceutical industry. Many of the drugs used in the United States are manufactured overseas, and disruptions to global supply chains can have significant impacts on the availability of these drugs. In addition, the consolidation of the pharmaceutical industry has also contributed to the problem, with fewer manufacturers producing a larger percentage of the drugs on the market. Read more >