According to the release, all three manufacturers of propofol are back in full production and are shipping product each week as soon as it is released. Shipments each week are back to historical amounts; however, the manufacturers say it may be several weeks before the supply chain is refilled completely. Imported Propoven will still be available through the next week in 20-mL sizes, according to the release.
The following updates were made for neuromuscular blocking agents:
- Vecuronium is being released by Bedford but supplies are not meeting demand. Teva had manufacturing delays and plans on releasing product in mid-February. A newly approved generic manufacturer, Sun Pharmaceuticals, is planning to have additional supplies this month.
- Atracurium is a sole-source product from Bedford, which has the 5-mL vials available and plans on additional releases into February.
- Cis-Atracurium is a sole-source product from Abbott, which continues to report delays. The company plans to have product available in March 2010.
- Both brand name and three different generic versions of rocuronium (Zemuron) are readily available.
- Succinylcholine is currently available from both manufacturers in good supply.
The following updates were made for other anesthesia drugs:
- Prochlorperazine injection is a sole-source product from Bedford, which reports production delays as the reason for the shortage. They anticipate having supplies again by mid-February.
- Hospira is reporting that ephedrine injections are unavailable due to production delays. The company anticipates having product available in February. Akorn continues to have their 1-mL ampules (NDC 17478-0515-00) in packages of 10 available, but Parenta has experienced increased demand due to Hospira’s outage and their vials are on intermittent back order.
Read the ASA’s release on anesthesia drug shortages.
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