Supply chain issues causing prescription drug shortages

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - Dozens of life-saving drugs are in short supply.

The American Medical Association is calling it an urgent public health crisis. Supply chain issues are to blame.

The Food and Drug Administration says 115 drugs are in short supply nationally. One of those drugs is needed by both chemotherapy and COVID-19 patients.

Some doctors say they’ve had to ration care based on what drug is available.

Pharmacists across the Charlotte metro said they are seeing similar shortages and they’ve been dealing with this for some time.

WBTV made calls to pharmacists in South End, Rock Hill and Lincolnton to get a really clear picture of the entire area.

The pharmacists said hundreds of medicines could be on backorder at any time.

It’s something they’ve seen for at least a year now. They’re running out of popular drugs like Adderall, insulin and oxycodone, drugs some people take every day.

On the WBTV Facebook page, viewers were asked about what they’ve experienced.

Have supply chain issues led to your pharmacy being out of your prescription medications?
Posted by WBTV News on Thursday, October 21, 2021

TJ Lindsey Smith said they know people who haven’t been able to get the medicine they need for more than a couple of days at a time, fighting the pharmacy to fill a few more days weekly.

Joyce McCroskey said they had to wait four days for the rest of their son’s seizure medicine, and it sounds like it came just as he had run out of what he had

The question was asked what should people do if they can’t get their medicine.

Pharmacists said to talk to them and see what can be worked out, call other pharmacies and check their supply, or talk to a doctor and see if there are alternative medications that might be easier to find.