Drug Shortages During The COVID-19 Pandemic

As the United States struggles to keep pace with the rapidly escalating COVID-19 pandemic, demand for healthcare services and supplies has revealed the precariousness of our healthcare system and supply chains in the face of such extreme challenges. Shortages of ICU beds, ventilators, and proper personal protective equipment for healthcare providers have been a frequent point of discussion. Shortages of these items will have very visible and immediate impacts on public health, but as the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations increases, another growing threat to the US healthcare system’s ability to respond to the pandemic is emerging: shortages of essential drugs diverted from patients with their primary indications to treat patients infected with COVID-19.