March 31, 2015: ALERT: Shortage of Topical Epinephrine 1:1000 Poses Safety Risks
Since early 2015, there has been shortage of epinephrine 1 mg/mL (1:1000) 30 mL vials for topical use and epinephrine 1 mg/mL (1:1000) 30 mL vials for injection. At the time of writing, the only epinephrine 1 mg/mL (1:1000) product is available in 1 mL ampoules for injection, requiring a syringe and needle to withdraw the solution from the ampoule. As a result of the current shortage of epinephrine for topical use, facilities needing this medication will have to use the injectable product in its place. However, the practice of withdrawing a medication intended for topical use into a parenteral syringe poses a risk of a substitution error and/or inadvertent injection. Read more...
