As of late 2025, the the U.S. is still experiencing shortages of certain types of syringes and needles. This affects clinics, hospitals, and retail pharmacies and leads to difficulties for both healthcare providers and patients who need supplies. The shortage began in March 2024 when the FDA recalled Chinese-made syringe models over quality and sterility concerns. Ever since, providers have struggled to secure common sizes and types, even those produced domestically, forcing many facilities to ration supplies and delay routine injections.
Understanding the Supply Chain Disruption
Empty shelves have been reported by hospitals and clinics for several BD syringe models. This, despite the manufacturer’s $10 million investment to expand U.S. production. It’s easy to see now how heavily the supply chain relies on a small number of foreign and domestic producers. By late 2025, new lines should be fully online and healthcare sites will fight for limited stock, thus trying to push independent pharmacies away.
What Your Pharmacy Can Do
- Be proactive and check on inventory levels. Set minimum on-hand thresholds.
- Broaden suppliers and add regional distributors or assess international sources.
- Speak with local clinics and home-care providers regularly about anticipated orders.
- Allow patients to plan ahead for routine injections by offering them pre-order and back-order services.
- Prevent hoarding by implementing fair-use policies while meeting genuine patient needs.
Build Trust and Safety in the Community
Educate your patients on how to use needles safely. Give them clear disposal instructions. Reduce biohazard risks by hosting or partnering in a community syringe-exchange or take-back program. Get together with public health departments to track local demand and share real-time inventory data. And last, but not least, be an advocate for state-level policies that speed up approvals for alternative syringe models.
As an independent pharmacist, you can’t ignore the syringe and needle shortages any longer. Instead of twiddling your thumbs wondering when things will get better, tighten inventory control, broaden sourcing channels, and engage your community. You and other community pharmacists can safeguard access to much needed injection supplies. You can protect access to essential injection supplies. By doing so, you are protecting public health and preparing for a stronger supply chain.
A Member-Owned Company Serving Independent Pharmacies
PBA Health is dedicated to helping independent pharmacies reach their full potential on the buy-side of their business. Founded and run by pharmacists, PBA Health serves independent pharmacies with group purchasing services, wholesaler contract negotiations, proprietary purchasing tools, and more.
An HDA member, PBA Health operates its own NABP-accredited warehouse with more than 6,000 SKUs, including brands, generics, narcotics CII-CV, cold-storage products, and over-the-counter (OTC) products — offering the lowest prices in the secondary market.
