ASHP Demands More Manufacturing of Ventilator Drugs for COVID-19

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) recently called on the Trump Administration to address shortages of supportive ventilator drugs as COVID-19 continues to infect more patients. 

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In an official letter to Vice President Mike Pence, ASHP requested the administration release drugs from the Strategic National Stockpile to states hardest hit by COVID-19 and increase production of opioids to address shortages of medications needed to treat coronavirus patients.

Ventilators are making their way to hospitals, but the drugs needed to operate them are gone or in short supply. Opioids, sedatives, and paralytics ensure the successful use of ventilators. But as patient admission increases, demand is outpacing supply and exhausting current allocations.

"Even if hospitals had all of the ventilators needed to keep patients alive, this critical shortage of medications could make it impossible to maintain COVID-19 patients on those ventilators, and therefore result in harm," Paul W. Abramowitz, MD, chief executive officer of ASHP, said in the letter.

“It is imperative that manufacturing of these medications be increased immediately and available supply be allocated based on current projections of critical care patient volume, rather than based on historical allocations, which do not reflect current need.” 

Some of the critical medications such as fentanyl, morphine, and hydromorphone, have been on FDA’s shortage list for months. In some cases, hospitals are rushing to restock dwindling drugs only hours before they run out completely. 

Experts expect the COVID-19 patient numbers to grow exponentially over the next few weeks, significantly increasing the stockpile demand. When the COVID-19 pandemic began over a month ago, ASHP began conversing with federal agencies and Congress in an effort to protect the critical drug supply.

“We, along with the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association, and others, sent the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) a letter requesting that they immediately increase allocation of annual production quota for supportive opioids to manufacturers and 503B outsourcing facilities,” Abramowitz said. 

HHS has already released a request for information regarding manufacturing capacity for critical drugs, but the drugs were designated Tier 2. ASHP believes these drugs are essential for severely ill COVID-19 patients, and this designation may exact a heavy patient toll. 

“We respectfully request that you direct the agencies to coordinate their efforts to increase manufacturing capacity to the greatest extent possible for the duration of the national emergency to ensure that available supply is allocated based on volume of critical care patients,” Abramoquitz concluded.

“ASHP and its members will assist in any way possible. Please do not hesitate to let us know if we can provide additional information or data to aid the Administration in its efforts to defeat COVID-19.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has left a hole in the essential drug supply chain. Recent data from Premier Inc. showed that 15 essential drugs for COVID-19 treatment are currently in danger of a shortage.

As more and more individuals are infected with COVID-19, demand is becoming overwhelming for the healthcare industry. Premier uncovered that demand was the greatest during the month of March. The drugs in the highest demand included anti-malarials and antivirals, previously deemed as potential COVID-19 drugs.

New York is the current coronavirus hot spot, with over 131,800 cases in the state alone, according to data from Johns Hopkins University at the time of publication. This suggests that products may move from regional shortages into national shortages as the virus continues to spread.

Great manufacturing capacity could help states like New York access the necessary drugs and equipment to treat the sudden surge in COVID-19 patients. Groups like ASHP intend for increased manufacturing to alleviate key drug shortages and help top US officials allocate the necessary supplies to those in greatest need.