Pharmacist group survey confirms patient care affected by shortage of small-volume parenteral solutions

A shortage of small-volume parenteral (SVP) solutions is having a significant impact on daily operations and patient care in most hospitals nationwide, according to a survey released by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Nearly all of the respondents (99.1%) to the informal, non-scientific survey said their hospital has been affected by the shortage, with more than 60% calling the shortage "severe" and requiring them to adopt new procedures and use alternative therapies. More than three-quarters of the respondents had less than 2 weeks' supply of SVPs in inventory at the time of the survey. Steps cited by respondents to mitigate the shortages include using alternative methods of administration such as I.V. push, intramuscular injections, or oral dosage forms (84.5%); using non-formulary premixed solutions and/or frozen products (64.4%); and implementing protocols that restrict the use of product (60.1%). The shortage of SVPs, which are used to dilute I.V. medications, is chiefly a result of hurricane-related damage to pharmaceutical manufacturing plants in Puerto Rico.