It is my understanding that drug companies decide there isn't enough profit in say fentanly so they decide on Jan 31 they will quite manufacturing it. This company has a 20% market share. They get out of the business and there is now twenty percent less on the market because they didn't notify their competitors. Take the drug used for patent PDA’s in neonates. The drug Indomethacin used to cost about $5 dollars but is now $50.00 to 1$100 because there is only on manufacture and he now has all the liablity! I am a Nurse anesthetist and I have substituted Bervital for propofol, used Morphine instead of fentanyl and used valium instead of versed (madazolam) Many drugs manufactured over seas do not met American testing and purity standards so importing can be difficult!
In my hospital (and the system it is part of) Brevital, pentothal, and propofol were all short at the same time. We now have propofol, but still no brevital or pentothal. And, our shortage now extends to midaz, fentanyl, Dilaudid, and morphine. It’s crazy.
Recently we had ZERO supply of THAM for our liver transplants. I was told to use sodium bicarb. Well, that’s nice but what do you do when the patient’s sodium is 150?? THERE’S A REASON WE USE THAM IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!! Stupid beaurocrats!!!