Six drugmakers are reporting shortages of heparin, a blood thinner, and 19 solutions are back ordered for weeks, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
Two pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer and Sagent Pharmaceuticals, said the shortage is because of heightened demand and manufacturing delays. The other four drugmakers include Fresenius Kabi, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Sky Pharma and Techdow USA.
As of Jan. 16, the heparin sodium solutions are back ordered until late January through March.
The shortage has been ongoing for months.
"[With] heparin flushes, we're still having to use different products here at our health system than we normally want to," Erin Fox, PharmD, the senior pharmacy director at Salt Lake City-based University of Utah Health who helps run ASHP's drug shortage website, told Becker's on Jan. 10.