Drug shortages aren’t just temporary supply hiccups—they can become full-blown healthcare crises that can last for years and directly impact patient outcomes (especially in correctional settings). We look at all the dimensions of drug shortages, from manufacturing failures and fragile supply chains to economic and regulatory challenges. Chris highlights notable examples such as heparin and norepinephrine, examines the unique risks that shortages pose in correctional healthcare, and shares practical strategies that providers can use to prepare, respond, and protect patients when critical medications become scarce.

Our discussion is based on a presentation that Chris was slated to give at the NCCHC Spring Conference in New Orleans that he ultimately had to miss. We briefly diverge into the why.

Elsewhere, Chris takes a loo ...