Chicago — (June 17, 2010) 

The recently expanded recall of certain lots of propofol by Hospira, coupled with the latest announcement from Teva that it will cease further production of propofol, has led to many questions and concerns regarding propofol supplies.

Please be advised that both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and ASA are aware of anesthesiologists’ concerns and the difficulty many individuals and facilities are experiencing in maintaining their propofol supplies. ASA has been in regular communication with FDA and APP (currently the sole supplier and importer of propfol) to address the shortage.

According to FDA officials, the Agency continues to authorize the importation of Fresenius Propoven 1% (propofol 1%) by APP. APP is also increasing production of APP Diprivan® and generic propofol. In addition, FDA is hopeful that Hospira will be releasing new product shortly, since the company has recently instituted manufacturing changes in an effort to alleviate previous production problems.

Individuals and facilities should still attempt to obtain propofol through their normal distribution chains. Those who are experiencing difficulties, however, may contact APP to arrange direct shipments.

As always it is important for FDA to understand the extent of all drug shortages. Therefore, if you or your facility are experiencing difficulty obtaining any medication, please contact the FDA Drug Shortage Division to let them know.

Contact information for the FDA’s Drug Shortage Division

Additional information on the propofol shortage from the FDA can be found at the following website, which also contains answers to some frequently asked questions.

FDA Propofol Shortage Website

For more information on the field of anesthesiology, visit the American Society of Anesthesiologists website at www.asahq.org. For patient information, visit LifeLineToModernMedicine.com

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