PI: Katie Suda, PharmD, MS
Funding Source: NIH/NIA
September 2026 - June 2031
Most prescriptions in the U.S. are dispensed to older adults, who rely on continuous access to medications to manage chronic conditions, making drug shortages especially consequential for this population. Led by Katie J. Suda, PharmD, MS, this project moves beyond simply identifying whether a shortage exists to measuring shortage intensity, how severe and how long a disruption lasts, since these factors determine the true impact on patients and health systems. The team will compare shortage patterns and their drivers in the U.S. and Canada, two countries with different mitigation strategies, then use these findings to develop and test a U.S.-specific At-Risk Medicine List that identifies medications that are both clinically important and vulnerable to supply chain disruption. Funded by the National Institute on Aging, the project aims to give health system leaders a practical, evidence-based tool to anticipate and prioritize at-risk medications before shortages disrupt patient care.
