FDA says it's 'working to address' shortage of albuterol product used in hospitals
FDA 'working closely' with manufacturers, others in connection to shortage
There is a scarcity of a certain albuterol medication product – and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Wednesday night that it is "working to address" that.
According to the FDA, the shortage is only for a "very specific dosage form of the medication generally used in hospitals." On its website, the agency reported as "not available" the particular dosage of the albuterol sulfate inhalation solution and indicated the supply issue dates back to October.
Medical professionals utilize albuterol – a drug that comes in different varieties – for bronchospasm treatment, according to the Mayo Clinic.
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There is a sufficient amount of other "strengths and vial sizes" to "meet market demand at hospitals and beyond" at this time, the FDA said. The agency also emphasized that in the case of this particular shortage, albuterol inhalers are not affected.
In connection to shortage-related impacts, the FDA has been "working closely" with manufacturers and others, according to the agency’s tweet.
A sign for the Food and Drug Administration is displayed outside their offices in Silver Spring, Maryland, on Dec. 10, 2020. (AP Photo / Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP Newsroom)
"To help meet demand, FDA has reiterated that outsourcing facilities may compound the specific product that’s in shortage to help increase supply," the FDA also tweeted. "The FDA continues to explore all available regulatory levels to help assure supply."
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One of those so-called levers being explored is "exercising discretion for potential temporary importation by foreign suppliers," the FDA continued.
A sign is seen outside the Food and Drug Administration headquarters in White Oak, Maryland, August 29, 2020. (Reuters / Andrew Kelly / File / Reuters)
Manufacturing of the specific dosage form was halted by Akorn, the pharmaceutical company that the FDA described as its only maker. The Wall Street Journal reported on the company’s filing of Chapter 7 bankruptcy in late February.
FOX Business reached out to Akorn for comment.
The CEO of the producer of a different dosage has said that to address the shortage, Nephron Pharmaceuticals is "currently producing Albuterol 0.5 as fast as possible to deliver to the market – and to patients," according to the Journal.
One condition for which health care professionals often use albuterol is asthma.
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In the U.S., more than 25.2 million people live with asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The respiratory disease caused more than 1.8 million emergency room visits – including 790,000 involving children – in 2019, it reported.