Anesthesia drug supply shortages and Brexit concerns
Shortage of anesthesia drugs in the US, Brexit concerns and disruptions to Novo Nordisk's obesity drug
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Shortage of anesthesia drugs in US
Anesthesia drugs are currently the most impacted by drug shortages in the US, new data from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reveals.
The FDA reports that out of 114 drugs in short supply, anesthesia has shortages of 13 different generic medications. Propofol, etomidate and ketamine are among the most commonly used anesthetics that are affected.
One of the reasons cited is increased demand, potentially due to the volumes of patients hospitalized with Covid-19 who are using ventilators, requiring sedation because of the discomfort associated with intubation. The second reason is delays to manufacturing, according to the FDA.
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In December 2021 The American Medical Association (AMA), the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), and four additional bodies released their recommendations to address disruptions to the supply chain due to the Covid-19 pandemic. These included incentivizing the use of advanced manufacturing technology for critical drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients, and improving international cooperation with foreign supply chain partners.
Brexit is top obstacle to access medicine
Britons fear that Brexit is the main obstacle that could threaten access to medicine, according to a new survey by market research companies YouGov and Informa Pharma Intelligence.
The poll found that the most cited causes for concern are Brexit and border issues (53 percent), heavy goods vehicle (HGV) driver shortages (48 percent), waiting times to see a doctor (42 percent), and the ongoing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic (36%).
In Northern Ireland, the percentage of people concerned about Brexit and access to prescription drugs rises to 69 percent. In December the EU proposed a unilateral solution to supply Northern Ireland with medicines and circumvent the checks items arriving from the rest of the UK have been subject to since the UK exited the single market.
Novo Nordisk pauses supply of obesity drug Wegovy
Danish company Novo Nordisk has announced it has halted the supply of obesity drug Wegovy in the US, due to manufacturing issues.
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The company Novo Nordisk contracts with to fill Wegovy pens has temporarily stopped production and deliveries due to problems related to Good Manufacturing Practices.
Wegovy was granted FDA approval for distribution in the US in July 2021, however Novo Nordisk experienced unprecedented demand that caused initial disruptions, releasing a statement on its website calling it “unlike anything we could have anticipated.” While progress was made to meet demand, as a result of this latest hiccup it is now expected there will be supply constraints until the second half of 2022.
Also in the news
- Emirates SkyCargo has reached the major milestone of distributing nearly 600 mn doses of Covid-19 vaccines around the world.
- A new pharma air corridor between Abu Dhabi and Brussels airport is being developed, led by Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health. Once operational, it will enable stakeholders to monitor pharma shipments closely by leveraging IoT technology.
