From 1968 to 2020, people experienced a remarkable increase in life expectancy, from 70 to 78 years. Much of that was due to advances in drugs and vaccines, many of which are now unavailable because of shortages. According to the University of Utah Drug Information Service, in the first quarter of 2024, a total of 323 drugs were in shortage — the highest number ever.

Shortages of important drugs are neither new nor rare. Several years ago, University of Chicago researchers surveyed 719 pharmacists at large and small hospitals across the country and found that all of them reported experiencing at least one drug shortage in the previous year, and 69% had experienced at least 50 shortages in that time. The majority were generic injectable pharmaceuticals commonly used in hospitals, including analgesics, cancer drugs, anesthetics, antipsychotics for psychiatric emergencies, and electrolyte solutions needed for patients on IV supplementation.