Shortage of labetalol tablets and injectable labetalol

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists reports a shortage of labetalol tablets. This drug is particularly useful for controlling high blood pressure in pregnant women without negative effects on the fetus. This condition, called pre-eclampsia, occurs in 2-6% of pregnant women in the US and pre-eclampsia/eclampsia causes about 14% of maternal mortalities worldwide (50-75,000 deaths annually).

This labetalol tablet shortage occurs after the previously reported shortage of injectable labetalol. This injectable form of the drug is used when uncontrolled high blood pressure in pregnant women or other people has resulted in a hypertensive crisis and a quick resolution is needed to prevent seizures, strokes and deaths. When this shortage occurred in the Netherlands several years ago, the University Medical Center Groningen's hospital pharmacy produced their own injectable labetalol before their 8 week supply of the commercial drug was exhausted (pdf). I am unaware of whether this is legal or possible in the US. If the shortages of both the injectable and tablet forms are due to a shortage of the active ingredient, for example, this would not solve the problem.