Current Drug Shortages: Which Medications Are Scarce Today in 2026

Right now, over 270 medications are in short supply across the United States - and it’s not just a minor inconvenience. For patients with cancer, chronic illnesses, or emergency conditions, these shortages can mean delayed treatments, dangerous substitutions, or even life-threatening gaps in care. As of January 2026, the problem hasn’t improved. In fact, some of the most critical drugs are still hard to find, and new shortages are popping up faster than they’re being resolved.

What’s Actually in Short Supply?

The drugs most affected aren’t obscure or niche. They’re the backbone of modern medicine. Sterile injectables - especially those given intravenously - make up the bulk of current shortages. These include:

• 5% Dextrose Injection (small volume bags) - shortage since February 2022, expected to last until August 2025
• 50% Dextrose Injection - shortage since December 2021, resolution expected September 2025
• Cisplatin - a key chemotherapy drug for testicular, ovarian, and lung cancers. A 2022 FDA shutdown of an Indian manufacturing plant that supplied half the U.S. market still echoes today.
• Vancomycin - a last-resort antibiotic for serious infections. Hospitals are rationing doses, and some patients are waiting days for treatment.
• Leucovorin - used to counteract the side effects of methotrexate in cancer treatment. Without it, patients risk severe toxicity.
• Saline solutions - especially 0.9% sodium chloride. Used in nearly every hospital procedure, from IV hydration to flushing catheters.
• GLP-1 agonists (like semaglutide and liraglutide) - while not sterile injectables, demand has surged 35% since 2020, overwhelming production capacity.
• ADHD medications (methylphenidate, amphetamine salts) - shortages have worsened as prescriptions climbed, with pharmacies limiting fills to 30-day supplies.

These aren’t random glitches. They’re systemic failures tied to how these drugs are made - and who makes them.

Why Are These Drugs So Hard to Find?

Most of the active ingredients in U.S. medications come from just two countries: India and China. About 45% of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are made in India, and another 25% come from China. That’s not a backup plan - it’s the main supply line.

When a single factory in India fails an FDA inspection - like the one that produced cisplatin - it doesn’t just delay production. It creates a nationwide blackout. There are no quick alternatives. These drugs aren’t like smartphones or clothing. You can’t switch brands overnight.

And the problem isn’t just foreign manufacturing. It’s the economics of generic drugs. Generic medications make up 90% of prescriptions filled in the U.S., but they only bring in 20% of total drug revenue. Manufacturers operate on profit margins of 5-8%. Compare that to brand-name drugs, which often have 30-40% margins. Why would a company invest in new equipment, hire skilled workers, or pass costly FDA inspections for a drug that barely pays for itself?

That’s why sterile injectables - which require clean rooms, complex sterilization, and strict quality control - are the first to disappear. They’re expensive to make, low-profit, and easy to cut when budgets tighten.

Who’s Getting Hurt?

It’s not just hospitals. It’s patients.

One in three cancer patients reported treatment delays in 2024 because their drugs weren’t available. The average delay? Nearly 15 days. For someone with aggressive cancer, those days can mean the difference between remission and progression.

Emergency rooms are running out of saline. Nurses are reusing IV bags. Pharmacists are substituting drugs that aren’t identical - and sometimes less effective. A 2025 survey found that 67% of hospital pharmacists had seen medication errors directly linked to substitutions during shortages.

Doctors are being forced to make impossible choices. A pediatrician might give a child a lower dose of a vital antibiotic because the full dose isn’t available. A cardiologist might delay a procedure because the IV fluids needed to stabilize the patient aren’t in stock. In Ohio, a hospital had to ration cisplatin - prioritizing patients with testicular cancer, where the drug is most effective, over others with different cancers.

And it’s not just hospitals. Community pharmacies are running out of ADHD meds. Parents are calling multiple pharmacies just to fill a prescription. Some are turning to online pharmacies - risky, unregulated, and sometimes dangerous.

What’s Being Done?

The FDA says it blocks about 200 potential shortages every year by stepping in early - warning manufacturers, helping fix quality issues, or fast-tracking approvals. But the agency doesn’t have the power to force companies to produce more. They can’t mandate production. They can’t require transparency. They can only ask.

In January 2025, the FDA launched a new public reporting portal. Healthcare providers can now submit reports on shortages not yet listed in official databases. In just three months, they received over 1,200 reports - and acted on 87% of them. That’s progress. But it’s reactive, not preventative.

Some states are stepping up. New York is building an online database that shows which pharmacies have which shortage drugs in stock. Hawaii’s Medicaid program now allows imported drugs approved in other countries - if they meet safety standards - to be used during shortages. These are smart, practical fixes.

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) recommends hospitals keep a 30-day buffer stock of critical drugs. But only 28% of hospitals do it - because it’s expensive. And most don’t have the space or budget.

What Can You Do?

If you’re a patient:

• Ask your doctor or pharmacist: “Is this drug currently in shortage?” If it is, ask about alternatives.
• Don’t wait until your prescription runs out. Call your pharmacy a week before refill date.
• Check the ASHP Drug Shortages Database - it’s updated daily and lists expected resolution dates.
• If you’re on a life-saving drug like cisplatin or vancomycin, ask if your provider has a backup plan - and document it.

If you’re a caregiver:

• Keep a written list of all medications your loved one takes - including dosage and frequency.
• Know the generic names, not just brand names. A drug might be listed as “cisplatin” but sold under multiple brand names.
• Stay in contact with your pharmacy. They’re often the first to know when stock arrives.

For healthcare professionals:

• Use the FDA’s new reporting tool - even if you think it’s already listed. Your report might trigger faster action.
• Work with your pharmacy to establish a substitution protocol. Know which alternatives are safe and effective.
• Advocate for strategic stockpiling. Even a 14-day buffer can prevent a crisis.

What’s Next?

Without major policy changes, the number of drug shortages will stay above 250 through 2027. If proposed tariffs on Chinese and Indian pharmaceuticals go through - up to 200% on some imports - that number could spike to 350 or more.

The fix isn’t simple. It requires:

• Financial incentives for U.S.-based API manufacturing
• Mandatory strategic stockpiles for critical drugs
• A national early warning system that connects manufacturers, distributors, and hospitals

Right now, we’re treating symptoms, not the disease. We’re patching holes in a sinking ship instead of fixing the hull. But change is possible - if enough people demand it.

Final Thoughts

Drug shortages aren’t a distant problem. They’re happening in your local hospital, pharmacy, and clinic. They’re affecting your neighbor, your parent, your child. And they won’t fix themselves. Awareness, advocacy, and pressure on lawmakers are the only real solutions. Until then, stay informed, ask questions, and don’t accept silence as an answer.