Prescription Drug Shortages: Impact on Neonatal Intensive Care.
Drug shortage
Drug treatment
Extremely low birth weight infants
Neonatal intensive care
Neonatal intensive care unit
Neonate
Preterm and term infant
Journal
Neonatology
ISSN: 1661-7819
Titre abrégé: Neonatology
Pays: Switzerland
ID NLM: 101286577
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
2019
2019
Historique:
received:
30
04
2018
accepted:
22
08
2018
pubmed:
2
11
2018
medline:
18
12
2019
entrez:
2
11
2018
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Prescription drug shortages have increased significantly during the past two decades and also impact drugs used in critical care and pediatrics. To analyze drug shortages affecting medications used in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Drug shortage data for the top 100 NICU drugs were retrieved from the University of Utah Drug Information Service from 2001 to 2016. Data were analyzed focusing on drug class, formulation, reason for shortage, and shortage duration. Seventy-four of the top 100 NICU drugs were impacted by 227 shortages (10.3% of total shortages). Twenty-eight (12.3%) shortages were unresolved as of December 2016. Resolved shortages had a median duration of 8.8 months (interquartile range 3.6-21.3), and generic drugs were involved in 175 (87.9%). An alternative agent was available for 171 (85.8%) drugs but 120 (70.2%) of alternatives were also affected by shortages. Parenteral drugs were involved in 172 (86.4%) shortages, with longer durations than nonparenteral drugs (9.9 vs. 6.4 months, p = 0.022). The most common shortage reason was manufacturing problems (32.2%). Drug shortages affected many agents used in NICUs, which can have quality and safety implications for patient care, especially in extremely low birth weight infants. Neonatologists must be aware of current shortages and implement mitigation strategies to optimize patient care.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Prescription drug shortages have increased significantly during the past two decades and also impact drugs used in critical care and pediatrics.
OBJECTIVES
To analyze drug shortages affecting medications used in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
METHODS
Drug shortage data for the top 100 NICU drugs were retrieved from the University of Utah Drug Information Service from 2001 to 2016. Data were analyzed focusing on drug class, formulation, reason for shortage, and shortage duration.
RESULTS
Seventy-four of the top 100 NICU drugs were impacted by 227 shortages (10.3% of total shortages). Twenty-eight (12.3%) shortages were unresolved as of December 2016. Resolved shortages had a median duration of 8.8 months (interquartile range 3.6-21.3), and generic drugs were involved in 175 (87.9%). An alternative agent was available for 171 (85.8%) drugs but 120 (70.2%) of alternatives were also affected by shortages. Parenteral drugs were involved in 172 (86.4%) shortages, with longer durations than nonparenteral drugs (9.9 vs. 6.4 months, p = 0.022). The most common shortage reason was manufacturing problems (32.2%).
CONCLUSIONS
Drug shortages affected many agents used in NICUs, which can have quality and safety implications for patient care, especially in extremely low birth weight infants. Neonatologists must be aware of current shortages and implement mitigation strategies to optimize patient care.
Identifiants
pubmed: 30384374
pii: 000493119
doi: 10.1159/000493119
doi:
Substances chimiques
Drugs, Generic
0
Prescription Drugs
0
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
108-115Informations de copyright
© 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.