Opioid access problems persist for chronic pain patients even as other drug shortages ease. Opioid pain medicines are still in tight supply. The DEA keeps cutting production quotas. Drug makers are also wary of rising lawsuit costs.
Summary: New reports show opioids are in short supply, and that is unlikely to change. The DEA has been cutting production quotas. Drug makers have also held back on making these drugs because lawsuit costs keep rising.
The US has had drug shortages for a long time. The problem got worse in the last few years. As COVID-19 problems eased, the drug supply eased too. But nothing changed for people living with chronic pain. The opioid shortage goes on. Drugs like oxycodone, hydrocodone, and many other painkillers are still in tight supply.
The latest report from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) does show some progress. Drug shortages fell from a peak of 323 to 277. But as you can see, that is not much of a change.
These shortages hit many key drugs, not just opioids. There is a big shortage of IV fluids, dialysis fluids, and sterile fluids. It is that bad. The American College of Emergency Physicians is asking doctors to clean wounds with tap water instead of sterile fluid.
Other facts are just as troubling. It appears that not enough is being done. Industry leaders cannot explain why so many drugs are in short supply. They point to many causes. These include higher demand, factory problems, raw material shortages, and business choices.
For opioids, rule changes are a major cause. The DEA production quota falls short of what patients need. That leads to rationing. Surveys show 90% of patients have difficulty getting their opioid prescriptions filled at the pharmacy.
Some drugs have been dropped by the maker altogether. One example is Transmucosal Immediate-Release Fentanyl Medicines (TIRF). Doctors used it in a small number of cancer patients with severe pain. Those patients now have no options left.
Drug makers will not say why they stopped making certain opioids. Industry experts think the reason is plain. Many makers have faced losses and lawsuits. So they chose to stop making certain opioids.
According to ASHP, these opioids are in short supply: oxycodone, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, fentanyl patches and solutions, and morphine solutions. They are some of the strongest and most widely used painkillers. With them in short supply, many patients must look for other options.
Some industry experts warn things are unlikely to get better. In 2025, the DEA planned to cut the opioid production quota again. If that cut goes through, it will only make things worse.
These shortages make severe and chronic pain harder to treat. They also cause other health problems. Many patients feel more anxious. They struggle hard just to get their prescriptions filled.
Doctors are already raising the alarm. Some have written to regulators. They warn that any cut in opioid production will cause serious harm to their patients. The shortages also cause stress and burnout in doctors, who feel helpless to help their patients. Doctors say it is sad to see patients call 10-20 pharmacies. Patients often travel hundreds of miles to get their medicine.
People with chronic pain who cannot get these drugs are more likely to try other ways to manage pain. That can include street drugs, which may make things worse. This worries doctors who focus on opioid addiction treatment. It may lead to more street drug use and the harm that comes with it.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it hard to get oxycodone?
Two forces squeeze the supply. The DEA has been cutting opioid production quotas. The quota falls short of what patients need, which leads to rationing. Drug makers facing losses and rising lawsuit costs have also held back or stopped making certain opioids. Surveys show 90% of patients have difficulty getting opioid prescriptions filled at the pharmacy.
Is oxycodone on backorder?
Yes, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists report covered here. Oxycodone is on the list of opioids in short supply. So are hydrocodone, hydromorphone, fentanyl patches and solutions, and morphine solutions. Overall drug shortages eased from a peak of 323 to 277. But that gain has not reached people living with chronic pain.
When will oxycodone be available again?
Industry experts warn it is unlikely to get better soon. The DEA planned to cut opioid production quotas again in 2025. That would make the shortage worse, not better. Doctors have written to regulators. They warn that any further cut in opioid production will cause serious harm to their patients.
What happens when chronic pain patients cannot fill their opioid prescriptions?
The damage goes beyond untreated pain. Patients report more anxiety. Doctors describe people calling 10 to 20 pharmacies and traveling hundreds of miles to fill one prescription. Patients left without their medicine are more likely to turn to street drugs to manage pain. That only makes things worse.
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