Drug shortages from supply chain issues more likely in U.S. than Canada

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Drug-related supply chain issues are significantly more likely to result in drug shortages in the United States, compared to Canada, according to a recent report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh found that drug shortages were 40% less likely to occur in Canada than the United States as a result of supply chain issues.

“Drug shortages cause real disruptions in patients’ lives, often resulting in interrupted or delayed treatment,” Katie J. Suda, Pharm.D., M.S., senior author of the report, professor in the Pitt School of Medicine and associate director of the Center for Pharmaceutical Policy and Prescribing, said in a news release. “We can learn from other countries that are having success in mitigating the effects of drug shortages on patients.”

Researchers defined a drug shortage as a decrease of ≥33% in purchased standardized drug units over a 12-month window, relative to the average number of units purchased during the six months prior to the initial report of supply chain issues. For their data, they compiled a list of drug-related supply chain issue reports from the FDA, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHSP) and Health Canada from 2017 to 2021, in both countries. Researchers found that 49% of drug-related supply chain reports in the U.S. were associated with drug shortages within the first 12 months, compared with 34% in Canada.

It is important to note that most supply chain issues were the result of manufacturing and shipping problems. 95% of reports, across both companies, dealt with generic drugs, and sole-sourced drugs accounted for one in five of the reports. The authors of the study emphasized the importance of international cooperation between countries in order to prevent drug shortages and make the supply chain more resilient.

“The pharmaceutical supply chain is global, and every single person who touches a drug is essential, from manufacturers to port workers to pharmacists,” Mina Tadrous, Pharm.D., Ph.D., lead author of the report and assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, explained. “Shocks to the supply chain will happen, and it’s important to cooperate internationally to develop strategies for minimizing disruptions for patients.”