There were 98 drug shortages in 2024, with 89% of those drugs first reported in shortage in 2023, according to the new drug shortage report published by United States Pharmacopeia (USP). The USP Annual Drug Shortages Report: Long-Standing Drug Shortages Persist in 2024 notes that the average duration of a drug shortage was more than four years, while five drugs have been in shortage for more than 10 years. Three sterile injectables currently in shortage were manufactured in the North Carolina facility hit by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. Low prices, manufacturing complexity, geographic concentration of manufacturing, and quality concerns were cited as factors that cause drug shortages.