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Introduction
- A Minnesota mom of three children who said that tracking down required medications has essentially become a full-time job. “It’s a day-by-day process,” she explained, noting that some days she’s forced to withhold dosages, and that she’s also had to switch to different medications, “based on what’s available.”
- Another mom who shared frustration about being unable to locate medication for her 7-year-old child because, she said, “both of the pharmacies are out of it!”
- Research from the American Cancer Society noting that one-in-ten patients currently undergoing treatment has encountered a drug shortage. The report featured Dr. Jason Westin of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer center who explained: “Me and my colleagues have been forced to make impossible choices including deciding which patients should be prioritized to receive potentially curable therapies.”
- “Whoever or whatever is causing the shortage, CUT IT OUT,” an exasperated woman exclaimed in a social media posting.
Stories like this can be found in communities across the nation. At the end of 2024 the American Society of Hospital Pharmacies (ASHP) had 271 drugs listed on its official “Drug Shortage” list. Although that number was down from the record of 323 shortages reported during the first quarter of 2024, it points to a troubling trend. The number and scope of drug shortages have become so serious, that the American Medical Association (AMA) declared the issue to be “an urgent public health crisis and a national security threat.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which maintains records of all drug shortage activity, cites several factors that could affect a drug’s availability:
- Quality: Most shortages are due to quality issues rooted in a number of factors. In a 2024 address, FDA Senior Consumer Safety Officer Carla Lundi cited “recurring issues in drug manufacturing compliance” including microbial contamination, lack of data integrity, poor excipient quality, inadequate controls related to aseptic manufacturing, cleaning/cross contamination, facility maintenance, contract manufacturing, and materials out of specification.
- Supply Chain Issues: Many drugs are manufactured outside of the United States, which makes domestic supply vulnerable to circumstances beyond U.S. regulators’ and manufacturers’ ability to control. In addition, U.S. manufacturers are heavily reliant on international suppliers for active pharmaceutical ingredients. With most products coming from China, India, and Eastern Europe, these critical ingredients have become susceptible to supply chain factors.
- Discontinuations. In March 2025,134 medications were listed on the FDA’s “Discontinuations” list, meaning the manufacturer has notified the FDA of its intention to cease production within the next six months.
The large number of drugs listed on official “drug shortages” listings is shocking and problematic. But it is not inclusive. The official “shortages” list does not include drugs that fall in the “hard to find” category. These drugs do not meet the criteria set by ASHP or FDA for a “nationwide shortage,” but their availability can be stymied by regional distribution bottlenecks, heightened patient demand, or geographic limitations, among other reasons.
Regardless of the reason, the impact of an inaccessible medication can be severe. Pharmacists, of course, are keenly aware of the effect a drug shortage can have on their patients. But the effects are also felt throughout the pharmacy. For one thing, pharmacy staff are often forced to spend inordinate amounts of time either on the phone or checking different suppliers’ websites, trying to hunt down a patient’s medication. This can result in hours of lost time – time that cannot be recaptured or submitted for reimbursement.
Pharmacies also lose when a patient decides to look to another pharmacy for a hard-to-find medication. This is what Today Show host Hoda Kotb did when she was unable to obtain amoxicillin at her preferred pharmacy. Patients who opt to go elsewhere deny their pharmacy not only the revenue associated with dispensing a medication, but the additional revenue from other purchases the patient may make while in the pharmacy.
No pharmacist wants to turn away a sale, or have to tell a patient that a medication is unavailable. And now, with PrimeRx MARKET, they no longer have to.
PrimeRx MARKET – Real-Time Drug Availability and Pricing
PrimeRx MARKET is the trusted online marketplace for pharmacies and healthcare providers that is improving the way they make purchasing decisions. With PrimeRx MARKET, pharmacies have instantaneous access to brands, generics, OTCs, injectables and more from over 40 wholesalers, and the ability to check inventory and pricing in a matter of seconds. Pharmacies can determine if a hard-to-find medication is available, lock-in pricing, and submit an order. All within the PrimeRx MARKET workflow. Just like that.
The solution is truly a win-win for pharmacists and patients with benefits that include:
Patients can avoid the angst and uncertainty that comes with not being able to obtain a needed medication. Instead, their local pharmacy has access to more than 40 medication suppliers, dramatically improving the likelihood of medication accessibility.
Pharmacies can better serve their patients without having to expend resources to track down medications. If a drug is available at any of the 40+ suppliers in its system, the pharmacy can purchase the medication for delivery as soon as the next business day.
Pharmacies have real-time pricing visibility. PrimeRx MARKET generates a list that identifies each supplier with a medication in stock and the associated pricing. A pharmacist can quickly compare each supplier’s pricing and make the best decision for their patients’ needs.
No extra fees or hidden costs. Pharmacies pay only the price charged by the supplier for each medication. PrimeRx MARKET does not impose any additional fees.
Hard-to-find medications are among the most heartbreaking occurrences in today’s pharmacies. Too often patients leave the pharmacy without their medications, and with no understanding of why the drugs aren’t available. And despite pharmacists’ best efforts, needed medications are often nowhere to be found.
That all changes though, with PrimeRx MARKET. Now, pharmacies have a powerful tool to not only locate hard-to-find medications, but to ensure they are available at the best possible price. Truly a win-win.
