The pharmacy supply chain is not immune to the reeds epidemic, with a number of new reeds being added in the past month.
More than 1,500 new reed products have been added to the supply chain since July, according to data from the Pharmacy Supply Chain Research Institute (PSCRI), which conducts a quarterly report on reeds.
The trend began after a California reed farmer who was unable to get reeds into the state due to reeds shortage was arrested last week.
Reeds are a popular ingredient for antifreeze because they have an unusually high water content, and because of the popularity of antifreeses, the reed industry is looking for a way to increase supply.
A recent FDA advisory published by the Food and Drug Administration said that reeds are the “most important reeds available for use in the U.S. market.”
A shortage of reeds was also a factor in the sudden death of a California woman who was hospitalized with a severe seizure in December, after her family discovered she was using a new, more effective version of a new drug she had taken for about a month.
The drug she was taking was the same as the re-release version that was used to treat her epilepsy, but she was now on a new formulation, which has been more effective.
The FDA said the new re-released version had less of a toxic side effect, and that it was “effective in treating the severe seizures that are common in children and adolescents with epilepsy.”
Reed manufacturers are now looking to improve their reeds product offerings, with more and more reeds now being added to supply chains around the country.
This is a developing story and we will update as we have more information.