Current Drug Shortages

Have you ever gone to a pharmacy to pick up your prescription just to be told that it is unavailable? How about noticing that blood pressure medication that you have taken for years is suddenly blue, then white, then green? All of this is due to national drug shortages. 

A full list of prescription drugs on shortage currently can be found  at:  http://www.fda.gov/drugs/drugsafety/drugshortages/ucm050792.htm and they are updated frequently. 

A few of the more notable shortages that you may notice from your neighborhood pharmacy are:

1. Cyanocobalamin Injection (Vitamin B12 shots)--listed as an increased in demand for the drug
2. Hydromorphone Tablets (Generic for Dilaudid)--listed as unknown reason 
3. Methylphenidate IR and ER Tablets (Generic for Ritalin)--listed as an increased in demand for the drug
4. Tetracycline Capsule--listed as shortage of active ingredient 

The list of drugs on national shortage is very long, though it mostly contains medications that affect you while you are in the hospital (such as IVs and injections). To check if any of your medications may be on the list, visit the link to the FDA website above.