Current Drug Shortages: Which Medications Are Scarce Today in 2025

Right now, if you or someone you know needs a simple IV saline bag, a common chemotherapy drug, or even a basic antibiotic, there’s a real chance your pharmacy won’t have it in stock. As of November 2025, more than 270 medications are still in short supply across the United States - a number that’s barely budged since last year, despite headlines claiming the crisis is improving. These aren’t obscure or niche drugs. These are the medicines doctors reach for every day to treat cancer, infections, dehydration, and even chronic conditions like ADHD. And for many patients, the delay isn’t just inconvenient - it’s dangerous.

What’s Actually in Shortage Right Now?

The most critical shortages are in sterile injectables - drugs given directly into the bloodstream. These are hard to make, require clean-room manufacturing, and have razor-thin profit margins. That’s why they’re the first to disappear when factories hit snags.

• 5% Dextrose Injection (small bags) - Used to hydrate patients and deliver other drugs. Shortage started in February 2022. Expected to last until August 2025.
• 50% Dextrose Injection - Given to patients with severe low blood sugar. Shortage began in December 2021. Resolution expected September 2025.
• Cisplatin - A cornerstone chemotherapy drug for testicular, ovarian, and lung cancers. A quality failure at an Indian manufacturing plant in 2022 knocked out half the U.S. supply. Hospitals now ration it, prioritizing patients with the best chance of survival.
• Vancomycin - A last-resort antibiotic for serious infections like MRSA. Shortages have been ongoing since late 2023, forcing doctors to use older, more toxic alternatives.
• Levothyroxine - The main drug for hypothyroidism. Even small changes in dosage can cause heart problems or fatigue. A supply hiccup in 2024 led to widespread switching between brands, causing confusion and side effects.
• Glucagon - Used to treat severe low blood sugar in diabetics. Shortages hit hard in early 2025, leaving families without a life-saving option during emergencies.
• ADHD medications (methylphenidate, amphetamine salts) - Demand has jumped 35% since 2020. Manufacturers can’t keep up, and prescriptions are being limited to 30-day supplies in many states.
• GLP-1 weight loss drugs (semaglutide, tirzepatide) - Once considered niche, these drugs are now in high demand for both weight loss and diabetes. Production delays mean many patients are being put on waiting lists.

These aren’t random glitches. They’re systemic failures. The same few factories overseas produce most of the active ingredients for these drugs. When one plant fails an FDA inspection - like the one in India that made cisplatin - the ripple effect hits every hospital and pharmacy in the country.

Why Do These Shortages Keep Happening?

You might think it’s just bad luck. But the truth is deeper. About 80% of the raw ingredients for U.S. medications come from just two countries: India and China. India makes about 45% of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), while China supplies 25%. The rest come from Europe and a handful of domestic producers.

Why does this matter? Because making these ingredients isn’t like baking cookies. It’s a complex, multi-step chemical process. A single error - a wrong temperature, a contaminated water line - can shut down production for months. And when profit margins are as low as 5% to 8% for generic drugs, companies don’t invest in backup systems or extra inventory. They make just enough to cover orders. No safety net.

Brand-name drugs? They’re less affected. Why? Because they make 30% to 40% profit margins. They can afford to keep extra stock, pay for faster shipping, or even build their own manufacturing lines. But generics? They’re priced down to the penny. If a factory in India has a quality issue, and the U.S. company doesn’t have a backup supplier, the shelves go empty.

And then there’s demand. ADHD and weight loss drugs have exploded in popularity. No one planned for that surge. Pharmacies ordered based on last year’s numbers. Now they’re playing catch-up - and losing.

What’s Being Done About It?

The FDA says it stops about 200 potential shortages every year by stepping in early - warning manufacturers, helping fix problems, or fast-tracking inspections. But here’s the catch: they can’t force anyone to make more. No legal power. No fines. Just requests.

Some states are trying to fill the gap. New York is building a public online map showing which pharmacies still have scarce drugs in stock. Hawaii now allows Medicaid to cover foreign-approved versions of drugs if U.S. ones aren’t available. That’s a big deal - it means patients can get the same medicine, even if it’s made in a different country.

Pharmacists are doing the heavy lifting. Nearly 70% of hospital pharmacists spend over 10 hours a week just tracking down alternatives, calling distributors, and managing substitutions. In Ohio, one hospital had to create a point system to decide who got cisplatin - cancer patients with the highest survival odds got it first. Others waited.

And here’s the scary part: 92% of hospital pharmacists say they’ve made a medication error during a shortage. That’s not because they’re careless. It’s because they’re juggling unfamiliar doses, different brand names, and last-minute changes. One wrong substitution can lead to a bad reaction, a missed treatment, or even death.

What You Can Do

If you’re taking a medication that’s in short supply, here’s what actually works:

1. Call your pharmacy early - Don’t wait until your last pill is gone. Ask if they have your drug in stock. Ask when the next shipment is coming.
2. Ask about alternatives - Not all substitutes are equal, but many are. For example, if 5% dextrose isn’t available, your doctor might switch you to oral hydration or a different IV fluid. Ask if the alternative is safe and effective.
3. Don’t skip doses - Especially with thyroid, diabetes, or cancer meds. Talk to your doctor before making any changes. Skipping can cause serious harm.
4. Check the FDA and ASHP lists - The FDA’s Drug Shortages page and the ASHP Drug Shortages Database are updated weekly. You don’t need to be a doctor to use them.
5. Join patient advocacy groups - Organizations like Patients for Affordable Drugs track shortages and push for policy changes. Your voice matters.

There’s no quick fix. The supply chain is broken. But awareness helps. When more people know what’s happening, pressure builds - on manufacturers, on regulators, on lawmakers.

What’s Next?

The Congressional Budget Office predicts the number of shortages won’t drop below 250 until at least 2027 - and could spike to 350+ if new tariffs on Chinese and Indian pharmaceuticals go through. That’s not speculation. That’s a projection based on current trade policies.

The U.S. Pharmacopeia is calling for three big changes: financial incentives to bring API manufacturing back to the U.S., mandatory stockpiles of critical drugs for hospitals, and a national early warning system that connects manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies in real time. None of these are expensive. But they all require political will.

For now, the burden falls on patients, pharmacists, and doctors. We’re patching holes in a sinking ship. The real solution? Build a new one.

Final Thoughts

This isn’t a temporary glitch. It’s a structural flaw in how we make and distribute medicine. The same factories that make your antibiotics also make the drugs for someone’s chemotherapy. When one fails, everyone loses. We’ve outsourced too much. We’ve priced too low. We’ve ignored the warnings.

For now, the best defense is awareness. Know what drugs are scarce. Talk to your doctor. Ask questions. Don’t assume your prescription will be filled. And push for change - because when the next crisis hits, it won’t be a rumor. It’ll be your medicine missing from the shelf.