A new analysis by U.S. Pharmacopeia found mixed news about drug shortages: On the one hand, the number of prescription drug shortages in the US fell by 23% last year. Good! On the other hand, shortages are lasting longer (5.3 years on average, compared to 4.3 years in 2024), and as Stat News reported, “nearly two-thirds of out-of-stock medicines were in short supply for more than three years, and 39% were unavailable for more than five years.”