AI-generated from publicly available materials.The newly launched National Fragility Index (NFI) by the API Innovation Center reveals significant vulnerabilities in the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain, highlighting that over 550 million prescriptions filled this year are for drugs susceptible to disruptions.
This index, introduced in collaboration with QYOBO, aims to assess and track risks associated with drug supply chains. It evaluated more than 400 medications across 131 treatment categories, identifying 14 drugs with severe fragility and 71 with high fragility. This indicates that roughly 20% of medicines are currently facing potential supply chain challenges.
Alarmingly, nearly 60% of the drugs analyzed have experienced shortages, with these shortages averaging over two years. Specific drugs like pantoprazole and metoprolol were identified as particularly vulnerable; pantoprazole, for instance, has only 5.6% of its supply coming from U.S. manufacturers and has faced five shortages since 2015. Meanwhile, metoprolol, with no domestic source for its active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), has had two prolonged shortages.
This index emerges in the context of ongoing efforts to enhance U.S. drug manufacturing capabilities, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. As noted by APIIC representatives, the NFI serves as a crucial tool for policymakers, enabling them to identify supply chain weaknesses and make informed decisions to bolster the resilience of the pharmaceutical supply. The focus on domestic manufacturing aims not only to secure supply chains but also to support national security and improve patient access to essential medications.