Shortage of injectable sulfentanil

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists has announced a shortage of injectable sulfentanil. As you might guess from its name, sulfentanil is related to fentanyl, which has also been in short supply. Both are powerful opioid narcotic analgesics used for pain relief and anesthesia. Baxter cannot give a reason for the shortage of sulfentanil. The company recently sold its injectable fentanyl products to West-Ward, which likewise cannot give a reason for its fentanyl shortage. Hospira cites increased demand for both products as the reason for its shortages, which makes sense since these are the only three manufacturers.

As per my series of posts (primaquine tablets, injectable pentobarbital, calcium acetate capsules,  tetracycline capsules, injectable capreomycin, injectable atropine, injectable metoprolol, injectable levofloxacin, cilostazol tablets, injectable etomidate) on drug shortages, and as you may have read elsewhere, this problem is becoming acute.  In January 2011 Bona Benjamin, ASHP's director of Medication-Use Quality Improvement stated,  "For the past year-and-a-half we've seen quite an escalation in the report of drug shortages, and resolving the shortages is becoming more difficult."

I have yet to post on cancer drug shortages and the gray market in drugs. Sarah Kliff of the Washington Post recently interviewed US Representative Diana DeGette (D-CO), who introduced a bill last June requiring manufacturers to warn the FDA of impending shortages. This is particularly important for cancer drugs so that a course of treatment is not interrupted or delayed. Tom Rooney (R-FL) is a cosponsor, and US Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) has introduced a companion bill in the Senate.