{"id":602225,"date":"2023-01-27T14:05:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-27T20:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.sellorbuyhomefast.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/27\/us-hospitals-are-facing-critically-low-supplies-of-liquid-ibuprofen\/"},"modified":"2023-01-27T14:05:00","modified_gmt":"2023-01-27T20:05:00","slug":"us-hospitals-are-facing-critically-low-supplies-of-liquid-ibuprofen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/27\/us-hospitals-are-facing-critically-low-supplies-of-liquid-ibuprofen\/","title":{"rendered":"US hospitals are facing critically low supplies of liquid ibuprofen"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In response to a shortage of liquid ibuprofen, the US Food and Drug Administration is temporarily allowing manufacturers to produce and distribute non-FDA approved drugs for relieving fever and pain<\/p>\n

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\n Health
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\n 27 January 2023
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By Grace Wade<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Seven
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Liquid versions of ibuprofen are running low at US hospitals<\/p>\n

Shutterstock \/ Anna Hoychuk<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Due to medication shortages, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is temporarily allowing medical manufacturers to produce non-approved alternatives to liquid ibuprofen for use in hospitals. This process, called compounding, generates nearly identical substitutes by mixing or modifying pharmaceutical ingredients, and could alleviate the painkiller shortage in hospitals.<\/p>\n

For months, supply chain issues and increased demand<\/a> have created medication shortages in many countries including the US, the UK, Canada and Australia. \u201cCovid, the flu and RSV have really put a strain [on supplies],\u201d says Lisa Mulloy<\/a> at Northwell Health in New York. The shortages have left hospitals and retailers struggling to obtain liquid versions of ibuprofen, which is used to reduce fever and pain in children and adults who cannot swallow pills or tablets.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have moved completely away from the liquid preparations because the products are just not available,\u201d says Emily Benefield<\/a> at Seattle Children\u2019s Hospital, which ran out of its supply about two months ago. To continue treating patients, she and her colleagues have resorted to compounding ibuprofen themselves by crushing tablets and mixing them with liquid \u2013 a time- and resource-intensive process, she says.<\/p>\n

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To alleviate some of this burden, the FDA announced on 20 January that it would allow designated manufacturing facilities to compound ibuprofen<\/a> in large batches to distribute to hospitals. While these products are not FDA-approved, they abide by certain FDA regulations, such as using antibacterial preservatives and sterilised water. Manufacturers must also screen all ingredients for contaminants.<\/p>\n

However, without FDA approval \u2013 which requires clinical trials to determine a drug\u2019s safety and efficacy \u2013 these products carry greater safety risks and may be less effective. \u201cThat being said, we are still having good success treating our patients\u2019 pain and fever with these compounded products,\u201d says Benefield.<\/p>\n

Mulloy says this is the first time she\u2019s seen the FDA recommend compounded ibuprofen products. \u201cThe guidance really illustrates how big of a problem this [shortage] is,\u201d says Benefield. \u201cCompounding is something that is best to avoid unless truly necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n

The issue is that compounded products cannot be sold in retail pharmacies, which is where the greatest shortages are, says Mulloy. The FDA said it is working to increase retail access but didn\u2019t provide any indication of how it plans to do so.<\/p>\n

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