Albuterol in Short Supply Nationwide

Monday, March 13th, 2023 -- 10:01 AM

(WMTV) The medication commonly used to treat people with breathing problems, Albuterol, is in short supply nationwide.

The liquid form of the asthma drug is the hardest to find right now because of the shutdown of a major supplier to U.S. hospitals and as supply chain issues continue. Pharmacy Director at UW Health Philip Trapskin said the shortage is being experienced in Dane County too.

He adds the future of the shortage is hard to predict, but it’s not something to panic about. ”When you have medications that are used to get healthy, it’s going to create anxiety to think ‘maybe I won’t be able to get that.’ At this point, I don’t feel like people should be in a mode of panic or trying to hoard medication. That can even sometimes make it worse for the shortage,” Trapskin said.

Trapskin said this drug shortage is similar to others that have been experienced in the past but the difference is that this medication is used both in and out of the hospital.

He said “some shortages are just inside the hospital so there’s less to coordinate and less for patients to need to do to find supply in the community.” If you have questions about your access to the medication, you should ask your healthcare provider.

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