In what is believed to be the first report of its kind, American Medical Association researchers found drug shortages have affected nearly nine out of 10 primary care physicians, across practice settings and often impacting treatment changes or outcomes.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, states insufficient drug supply adversely impacts one in five patients, most predominantly affecting the categories of endocrinology, stimulants, infectious disease, pulmonology, and pain management.
Few studies have investigated how drug shortages affect outpatient physician practices, particularly their influence on treatment, patient outcomes, and administrative burden, says study author and AMA Director for Science and Drug Policy Jennie Jarrett.
Whereas prior research has examined drug shortages by type of drugs and hospital impact, “this is one of the first pieces of research that really highlights how [drug shortages are] impacting physicians and patients in an outpatient realm in their communities,” she said in an AMA announcement of the study.
From July to August 2024, participants were queried about the previous six months. Ms. Jarrett and other researchers discovered that 88% of physicians surveyed experienced limited drug availability and nearly the same share (87%) indicated that supply constraints resulted in changes to the quality of care delivered. Of the adjustments made, the most commonly reported were:
- Prescribing an alternative, less preferred medication (92%), and
- Delaying treatment (63%).
The report also laid out the effects the shortages had on physicians and their practices, including added overtime work, heightened physician burnout, and increased administrative work.
“When you’re having to choose a different medication because of a drug shortage, it often requires a prior authorization. There’s extra insurance adjudication that has to happen, which takes physicians and their staff time and effort,” Ms. Jarrett noted in the release.
The survey results attribute recent shortages in the U.S. to “supply chain disruptions, limited manufacturers, small profit margins, regulatory burdens, natural disasters, and demand surges.”
Currently, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration lists 71 drugs as being in shortage in its online database, updated daily.