Bulletin Today
USP report shows drug shortages are lasting longer
Long-standing, persistent shortages account for more than 90% of all drug shortages in the United States, according to the latest USP Annual Drug Shortages Report. Current shortages now last more than 4 years, up from about 3 years in 2023.
“For patients, drug shortages can raise the risk of medication errors, treatment delays, and higher out-of-pocket costs,” said Anthony Lakavage, senior vice president for global external affairs at USP. “Shortages also disrupt daily operations for health care professionals and contribute to higher costs for health systems. Industry and policymakers need end-to-end data and visibility to build a more reliable supply chain that works for everyone.”
Combinations of risk factors, including low prices paid to manufacturers, geographic concentration of production, manufacturing complexity, and quality inspection issues may lead to persistent shortages, which are defined as lasting 1 year or more. They may also be affected by factors such as natural disasters, geopolitical tension, or policy changes.
Sterile injectable drugs, which are especially complicated to manufacture, account for 69% of all shortages.
The report noted that more than 40 medicines have been in shortage for more than 3 years, and five have been in shortage for a decade or more. The five most persistent shortages are injectable medicines: atropine sulfate, fentanyl citrate, leucovorin calcium, lidocaine hydrochloride, and epinephrine bitartrate.
Lower-priced drugs are also at a greater risk of shortage. Total U.S. shortages decreased from 125 in 2023 to 98 last year. No one therapeutic class of drugs was disproportionately affected by new shortages, but five of the new shortages were sterile injectable medicines and three of those shortages were caused by disruptions associated with Hurricane Helene. ■
U.S. overdose deaths decreased
Provisional data from CDC find an estimated 27% decline in overdose fatalities in 2024, although the numbers are not final and could change, the agency noted.
For now, the data show a positive trend: Drug-related deaths in the United States fell from 110,037 in 2023 to 80,391 in 2024.
According to CDC, the trend was evident in nearly all U.S. states plus Washington, DC, and across different drug categories, too.
Estimated deaths from fentanyl and other synthetic opioids decreased to 48,422 in 2024 from 76,282 in the previous year. Fewer fatalities were also linked to methamphetamine and other psychostimulants, cocaine, and natural or semi-synthetic agents.
The downward patterns put the annual number of fatal overdoses on track to hit the lowest level in 5 years, CDC said. ■
Study shows increase in obesity medication prescriptions for youth
CDC findings detected a notable increase in the proportion of adolescents prescribed obesity medications in 2023 after FDA approved obesity medications and after the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a clinical practice guideline on obesity medications for adolescents.
Still, just 0.5% of adolescents with obesity were prescribed an obesity medication in 2023. Most of those prescriptions were for adolescents with severe obesity.
Medications included orlistat, phentermine, a combination of phentermine and topiramate, and setmelanotide, as well as two newly approved high-dose GLP-1s: liraglutide and semaglutide.
In 2022, FDA expanded its approval for phentermine and topiramate extended-release capsules and semaglutide for chronic weight management to include adolescents aged 12 to 17 years.
According to the findings, published June 5, 2025, in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the most commonly prescribed obesity drugs for adolescents were semaglutide and phentermine or phentermine-topiramate.
Prescribing prevalence was more common for girls versus boys; individuals aged 15 to 17 years versus those aged 12 to 14 years; and among those with class 2 or class 3 obesity versus class 1 obesity. Prescribing was lower for Black versus white adolescents.
“Continued monitoring of the use of these medications could help guide strategies to ensure that all adolescents with obesity have access to evidence-based obesity treatment, including medications and health behavior and lifestyle interventions,” the researchers concluded.
Researchers used electronic medical record data to assess trends in the proportion of U.S. adolescents with obesity who were prescribed FDA-approved obesity medications during 2018–2023. ■
Study finds uptick in cannabis use for older adults
New research points toward a significant growth in cannabis use among older adults. According to a research letter published June 2, 2025, in JAMA Internal Medicine, based on data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, past-month use of cannabis among individuals aged 65 years or older rose from 4.8% in 2021 to 7.0% in 2023.
Previous research showed that past-year use of cannabis by older adults was less than 1% in 2005.
In subgroup analyses of the new research, several factors were correlated with a higher prevalence of recent cannabis use, including being female, being an older adult with a minimum $75,000 annual income, having a college or postgraduate degree, being married, and living in a state with legalized medical cannabis.
Researchers also found an increased prevalence of recent cannabis use linked to several medical conditions, especially COPD, but also heart conditions, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and having two or more chronic medical conditions.
“The substantial increased prevalence in states with legalized medical cannabis highlights the importance of structural educational support for patients and clinicians in those states,” the researchers noted. “The use of cannabis products, especially with psychoactive properties, may complicate chronic disease management among older adults.” ■
FDA approves first at-home screening tool for HPV
FDA has approved the first vaginal sample self-collection device in the United States that allows users to test for HPV, one of the leading causes of cervical cancer. The device is the first at-home alternative to the Pap smear.
The screening tool, called the Teal Wand, includes a swab to collect a vaginal sample. The sample is then mailed to a lab that will screen for HPV.
FDA’s approval of the product is based on research, which found that at-home screening was as effective as that conducted in a medical setting. Users said they much preferred self-screening and indicated they would be more likely to stay on top of their cervical cancer screenings with this method.
According to Teal Health, which makes the product, the Teal Wand will be available starting in June 2025, beginning first in California and then expanding nationwide. The device will be available by prescription, through a telehealth service, for individuals aged 25 to 65 years who are “at average risk.” ■