Of the hundreds of drugs currently in short supply, there are four shortages to keep an eye on in February, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
1. Fluorouracil, known as 5FU: The common cancer medication, which is normally used in combination with newer cancer drugs for chemotherapy, has four products in shortage. Drugmaker Fresenius Kabi said the estimated resupply date is early February, according to the ASHP.
2. Cisplatin: Five products of this older chemotherapy drug are in shortage, according to the ASHP. Among the three pharmaceutical companies that have reported cisplatin shortages, one provided mid-February as a restock date and most did not offer a resupply date.
3. Adderall: The attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medication shortage, which the FDA confirmed in early October, continues. It's a controlled substance, meaning patients are further constrained by which pharmacies they can get the ADHD drug from, according to Erin Fox, PharmD, senior pharmacy director at Salt Lake City-based University of Utah Health.
4. Lidocaine, a local anesthetic: About 90 percent of the nation's local anesthetic supply is out of stock, according to the ASHP. Lidocaine, a less-expensive generic, has fluctuated in supply availability since 2015, the organization said.