End Drug Shortages Alliance News Newswire

Hospitals, Distributors, and Healthcare Leaders Partner with End Drug Shortages Alliance to Release Results from First-of-Its-Kind Drug Resiliency & Transparency Pilot

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 05:00:00 GMT

The initial phase connected hospitals, distributors, and advising partners at unprecedented scale to test whether shared visibility can strengthen drug supply resiliency

Wilmington, Del. – February 24, 2026 – The End Drug Shortages Alliance (EDSA) today announced the results from the initial phase of its Drug Resiliency & Transparency Pilot, a landmark effort that brought together leading hospitals, distributors, and healthcare advisors to test whether responsible, well-governed data sharing could strengthen drug supply resiliency before shortages occur.

Launched through the Cancer Moonshot initiative and led by EDSA, the Pilot brought together seven hospitals, three pharmaceutical distributors, and three national health leaders to share critical inventory data for seven pediatric cancer drugs. Through a purpose-built framework led by EDSA as a neutral, nonprofit convener, participants shared aggregated, non-competitive data across traditional boundaries.

Pilot participants include:

Hospitals

Distributors

Advising Partners

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Children’s Mercy Kansas City
Cincinnati Children’s
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Texas Children’s Hospital
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford
One additional hospital partner

Cencora
Morris & Dickson
McKesson

Angels for Change
Children’s Hospital Association
US Pharmacopeia

Results from the initial phase demonstrated both the feasibility and value of this approach:

83% of participants used the shared information for inventory planning.
Trustworthiness of the data was identified as the highest value of the Pilot, followed closely by relevance.
100% of participants would participate in future data-sharing efforts.

Notably, the medications studied in the Pilot did not have active shortages during data collection, underscoring the value of shared visibility for planning in times of stability, not just crisis response.

“Our initial phase showed what is possible when trusted leaders across the supply chain come together around a shared purpose,” said April Giles, Executive Director of EDSA. “By serving as a neutral convener, EDSA created the governance, discipline, and trust necessary for responsible collaboration at scale. The results make clear that transparency can support better planning, stronger stewardship, and a more resilient system overall.”

Participants engaged through structured reporting and controlled data distribution , ensuring that insights supported system-level understanding without exposing proprietary or competitively sensitive information. EDSA’s role as data steward and convener was central to establishing the credibility and guardrails that enabled participation by organizations operating at the highest levels of complexity and responsibility.

Future phases of the Pilot will focus on expanding participation, increasing automation, and advancing from shared visibility toward coordinated decision enablement while maintaining the governance and trust that made early collaboration possible.

The results of the initial phase have been published in an EDSA white paper titled An Unprecedented, System-Level Approach to Resiliency: Insights and Opportunities from the Drug Resiliency & Transparency Pilot.

End Drug Shortages Alliance Announces 2026 Board Leadership and Appointments

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 19:27:15 GMT

End Drug Shortages Alliance Announces 2026 Board Leadership and Appointments

Wilmington, Del. – January 22, 2026 – The End Drug Shortages Alliance (EDSA) today announced its 2026 Board leadership, naming Mike Wascovich of Ascension as Board Chair and Jennifer Bair of Prisma Health as Chair-Elect. The organization also announced the appointment of Allan Coukell, BSc (Pharmacy) of Civica Rx and Mark Spiecker of STAQ Pharma to its Board of Directors, strengthening EDSA’s leadership as it advances solutions to prevent and mitigate drug shortages nationwide.

EDSA brings together healthcare providers, manufacturers, distributors, group purchasing organizations, industry leaders, and patient advocates to address the root causes of drug shortages and build a more resilient, transparent pharmaceutical supply chain. The 2026 Board reflects a continued emphasis on aligning health system leadership, policy expertise, and manufacturing accountability to drive long-term change.

Mike Wascovich is the Vice President, Medication Management and Chief Pharmacy Officer at Ascension, where he leads enterprise pharmacy strategy, operations, medication safety, and quality across 15 states and the District of Columbia. Ascension’s network encompasses approximately 97,000 associates, 23,100 aligned providers, 91 wholly owned or consolidated hospitals, and ownership interests in 29 additional hospitals through partnerships. As Board Chair, Wascovich brings extensive leadership experience at one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health systems.

Jennifer Bair, PharmD, is the Vice President of Pharmacy Services and Chief Pharmacy Officer at Prisma Health. Since 2022, she has overseen systemwide pharmacy operations across 19 acute care and specialty facilities, with a focus on coordination, efficiency, and expanding ambulatory services to improve patient outcomes.

“Ending drug shortages requires collaboration across policy, manufacturing, and healthcare delivery,” said April Giles, Executive Director of EDSA. “With Mike Wascovich and Jennifer Bair guiding the Board, and the addition of Allan Coukell and Mark Spiecker, EDSA is well-positioned to accelerate real-world, patient-centered solutions.”

New Board Members Add Policy and Manufacturing Expertise

EDSA appointed two new Board Members whose experience strengthens the organization’s work across policy and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Allan Coukell, BSc (Pharmacy), is the Chief Government Affairs and Public Policy Officer at Civica Inc. (Civica Rx), a non-profit generic drug manufacturer created by U.S. health systems to address drug shortages, where he leads policy efforts focused on preventing drug shortages and improving access to affordable medicines. A former oncology pharmacist, journalist, and Senior Director of Health Programs at The Pew Charitable Trusts, Coukell has been involved with EDSA since 2022.

Mark Spiecker is the President of STAQ Pharma, a 503B outsourcing facility that manufactures sterile injectable medications for hospitals nationwide and has been nationally recognized for addressing critical drug shortages, including those affecting pediatric patients. Spiecker has been involved with EDSA since its founding and has served in multiple leadership roles, including co-founding the 503B Harmonization Task Group and the organization’s Membership Task Force.

As part of this transition, EDSA extends its appreciation to the Board Members rotating off the Board of Directors for their leadership and service: Faiez Usman (Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs), Lindsey Thomas (Fresenius Kabi), and Rafael Saenz (American Pharmacists Association).

EDSA’s 2025 Annual Report documents meaningful gains in transparency, cross-sector coordination, and implementation of solutions that improve the availability of essential medications. Building on this progress, the 2026 Board leadership strengthens EDSA’s ability to scale impact, protect patient access, and address drug shortages at their root.

About End Drug Shortages Alliance

The End Drug Shortages Alliance (EDSA) is a collaboration of healthcare industry stakeholders, including healthcare providers, group purchasing organizations, manufacturers, distributors and other industry thought leaders dedicated to solving the pharmaceutical supply challenges that disrupt access to essential medications in the U.S. We prioritize initiatives focused on transparency, quality, redundancy and production of additional supply to achieve undisrupted access to essential medications for healthcare providers and patients.

EDSA Announces 2025 Catalyst Awards Honorees, Celebrating 'Progress through Partnership' in Strengthening Drug Supply Resilience

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 16:19:07 GMT

EDSA Announces 2025 Catalyst Award Honorees, Celebrating ‘Progress Through Partnership’ in Strengthening Drug Supply Resilience

Wilmington, Del. — December 9, 2025 — The End Drug Shortages Alliance (EDSA) today announces the honorees of the inaugural EDSA Catalyst Awards, celebrating meaningful impact in expanding access to essential medicines for patients. Reflecting this year’s theme, “Progress Through Partnership,” the 2025 Catalyst Awards honorees exemplify leadership, innovative collaboration, and lifelong dedication to strengthen the resilience of the drug supply chain.

EDSA Leadership Award: Mittal Sutaria, Vizient

The EDSA Leadership Award honors an individual or organization that has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in the collective effort to prevent and resolve drug shortages. Mittal Sutaria, Senior Vice President for Vizient pharmacy contract and program services, leads oversight for the company’s Novaplus^® Enhanced Supply Reserve program which provides health-system clients access to more than 150 million units of buffer inventory of essential medications warehoused in the U.S. The program has provided access to more than five million units of essential medications during drug shortages, offering a vital safety buffer for patient care.

Under Sutaria’s leadership, Vizient played a pivotal role in founding EDSA in 2021 by converting a bold vision—uniting diverse industry representation from across the drug-supply ecosystem—into a collaborative, industry-wide initiative. Sutaria continues to guide the Alliance’s direction as an advisory board member, underscoring Vizient’s central role within EDSA, and reinforcing the company’s dedication to building a more robust and reliable drug-supply system.

Outstanding Industry Collaboration: Project PROTECT (Angels for Change, STAQ Pharma, and Children’s Hospital Association)

The Outstanding Industry Collaboration award recognizes a multi-stakeholder partnership that has demonstrably improved drug access. This year’s award salutes the three architects of Project PROTECT: Angels for Change, STAQ Pharma, and Children's Hospital Association. Project PROTECT unites diverse stakeholders, including hospitals, advocacy groups, manufacturers, and supply chain experts under a shared mission to stabilize the drug supply chain.

From back-of-the-napkin ideas to concrete actions and structure, these partners developed a model to prevent and mitigate essential medicine shortages by building redundant onshore supply. Their commitment and ingenuity led to a successful program that improves access when shortages occur.

Since 2022, Project PROTECT proactively prevents shortages by funding and supporting 503B outsourcing facilities like STAQ Pharma to manufacture critical medications—such as magnesium sulfate, potassium chloride, and methotrexate before supply disruptions occur. To date, this model has protected more than 750,000 patient treatments, mostly children across the United States.

Lifetime Achievement in Drug Shortage Prevention: Erin Fox, University of Utah Health

The Lifetime Achievement in Drug Shortage Prevention award honors a career-long dedication to improving drug supply resilience. At University of Utah Health, Erin Fox is Associate Chief Pharmacy Officer – Shared Services, responsible for drug information and drug policy, pharmacy informatics, purchasing, billing, 340B, and antimicrobial stewardship. In 2001, she began developing a clearinghouse of standardized drug shortage information. Stemming from her leadership, she and her team now provide this critical information for the ASHP Drug Shortage Resource Center.

Fox has spent decades advancing innovation, integrity, and collaboration across the healthcare and manufacturing landscape, building a legacy that continues to shape the field. She has become a global thought leader known for her work tracking drug shortages, advising policymakers, and pushing for more transparency in the drug supply chain. The tracking she initiated more than 20 years ago has given way to a much higher level of recognition and advocacy today, resulting in a significant difference in helping hospitals and patients get the medications they need.

“True change happens when industry works together,” said April Giles, Executive Director of EDSA. “The Catalyst Awards were conceived to honor individuals and organizations whose actions spark progress across the healthcare ecosystem, turning partnership into lasting impact. EDSA congratulates and thanks all of the honorees for their commitment and dedication.”

The honorees were revealed at the 2025 ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition in Las Vegas, Nev., on Dec. 7, 2025, during a special reception to spotlight those shaping the future of medication access.

The 2025 EDSA Catalyst Awards were made possible with support from the following organizations: Awards Program Sponsors: Baxter, Cencora, and Pfizer Hospital
Reception Sponsors: Civica Rx, McKesson, STAQ Pharma, USP, and Vizient.

Download Event Photos Here

About End Drug Shortages Alliance

The End Drug Shortages Alliance (EDSA) is a collaboration of healthcare industry stakeholders, including providers, group purchasing organizations, manufacturers, distributors and other industry thought leaders dedicated to solving the pharmaceutical supply challenges that disrupt access to essential medications in the U.S. We prioritize initiatives focused on transparency, quality, redundancy and production of additional supply to achieve undisrupted access to essential medications for healthcare providers and patients.

Media Contact

Megan Duggan, Primavera Group

megan@theprimaveragroup.com

End Drug Shortages Alliance Releases 2025 Annual Report Highlighting National Progress in Drug Supply Resilience

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 05:00:00 GMT

A growing movement of 100 organizations unites hospitals, distributors, group purchasing organizations, manufacturers, and patient advocacy organizations to strengthen visibility, collaboration, and reliability in the U.S. drug supply chain.
Wilmington, Del. — November 5, 2025 — The End Drug Shortages Alliance (EDSA) today announced the release of its 2025 Annual Report, capturing a year of transformative progress toward ending drug shortages and ensuring reliable access to essential medicines for patients across the nation.
For EDSA, 2025 was a year of measurable impact, collective leadership, and renewed commitment to building a more transparent, reliable, and patient-centered drug supply chain.
Major 2025 Highlights

Data in Action: EDSA launched the Drug Resiliency and Transparency Pilot, a first-of-its-kind initiative uniting leading children’s hospitals and distributors to collect weekly data on seven essential pediatric cancer drugs.
Policy Leadership: The Alliance developed a unified Five Pillar Policy Platform designed to incentivize resilience, reduce concentration risk, and establish clear governance for federal coordination of the drug supply chain.
Rapid Growth and National Reach: EDSA expanded to 100 active Members representing major stakeholders across hospitals, distributors, manufacturers, group purchasing organizations, and advocacy organizations, growing its national influence and collective strength.
Responsive Advocacy: The Alliance provided testimony and recommendations across key federal and industry forums, including the White House, U.S. Department of Commerce, Reagan-Udall Foundation, and FDA Compounding Quality Center of Excellence.

“Every step forward represents the power of collaboration,” said April Giles, Executive Director of EDSA. “This report celebrates our Members’ leadership and the measurable outcomes that happen when we align behind one mission to ensure no patient’s care is delayed or denied because of a shortage.”

As EDSA moves into 2026, the Alliance will expand its pilots, publish new quality and transparency standards, and drive measurable policy outcomes that advance the collective goal of a resilient and reliable drug supply chain.

Learn more and read the full 2025 Annual Report.

End Drug Shortages Alliance Announces New Chair and Board Members for 2024

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 05:00:00 GMT

IRVING, Texas, Jan. 23, 2024 – The End Drug Shortages Alliance (EDSA) announces the appointment of Terri Lyle Wilson, vice president of pharmacy for The Children’s Hospital Association, as its new chair. Wilson succeeds past-board chair Eric Tichy, PharmD, MBA, FCCP, division chair, pharmacy supply solutions, Mayo Clinic.

Tichy helped launch the End Drug Shortages Alliance in 2021 and was appointed chair in December 2021 Under his leadership, EDSA has grown to a non-profit organization of 80 member organizations with more than 255 active participants, including representatives from healthcare providers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, group purchasing organizations and other thought leaders.

During Tichy’s tenure as board chair, EDSA responded to market supply disruptions with expert analysis and drug shortage mitigation strategies, including:

A white paper describing the ongoing gap in supply of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin, an essential oncology medication used to treat bladder cancer.
Three market analyses for products with greatest risk of supply disruption that would threaten a hospital’s ability to provide immediate and high-quality patient care.
Participation by 12 EDSA members in a round-table event at the White House through the Office of Science and Technology Policy to discuss drug shortage mitigation strategies with post meeting follow up.

Wilson, who's been involved with EDSA since its beginning, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her new role. As the vice president of pharmacy for Children's Hospital Association, Wilson is a proven leader in the pharmacy industry, advocating for improved patient care and access to medication.

"I am very grateful to Eric for his leadership and am honored to step into the role of board chair for the End Drug Shortages Alliance," said Wilson. "I look forward to working with this dedicated group of individuals to continue our efforts in addressing and mitigating drug shortages for the betterment of patient care for children and adults."

Wilson will lead EDSA in its five-year strategy that will include developing drug shortage communication standards across the industry; executing a centralization strategy for communication of drug shortages to all industry stakeholders; and establishing and publishing guidance on inventory management best practices.

EDSA also welcomes its newly appointed chair-elect Jason Chou, vice president pharmacy services, Ochsner Health and Jessica Daley, group vice president, supply chain, Premier, Inc. as treasurer.

About End Drug Shortages Alliance

The End Drug Shortages Alliance is a collaboration of healthcare industry stakeholders, including providers, group purchasing organizations, manufacturers, distributors and other industry thought leaders dedicated to solving the pharmaceutical supply challenges that disrupt access to essential medications in the U.S. We prioritize initiatives focused on transparency, quality, redundancy and production of additional supply to achieve undisrupted access to essential medications for healthcare providers and patients.

End Drug Shortages Alliance Recommends Specific Actions to Mitigate Drug Shortages in Wake of Damage to Pfizer Plant in North Carolina

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 06:00:00 GMT

IRVING, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The End Drug Shortage Alliance, today announced recommended actions healthcare industry stakeholders should immediately take to help minimize supply chain disruptions of sterile injectable medications in the wake of the tornado that hit Pfizer’s Rocky Mount, North Carolina facility. The plant was both a production facility and a warehouse for finished products including anesthesia, analgesia, therapeutics, anti-infectives and neuromuscular blocker product categories.

Pfizer’s website currently states that 200 million units are shipped globally every year from their Rocky Mount facility. Pfizer’s press release from earlier today also states that the Rocky Mount facility currently manufactures nearly 8% of all sterile injectable medication utilization in U.S. hospitals. However, overall market share for each individual product or presentation (vial size) can vary and the impact to supply remains unknown at this time.

Sterile injectable manufacturers and 503b compounders of impacted products categories should evaluate their ability to increase production in order to help meet current demand levels for products. As impacted product lists become available 503bs should review their formularies and shift production to impacted essential medications where possible.

Wholesalers should communicate with manufacturers and establish proactive protective 120% allocations for medications in the product categories to ensure the product is available for patient care and refine as more information is available. We also suggest establishing a small reserve inventory in the event emergency supply is needed.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is encouraged to expedite the review and evaluation of the impacted plant. As information becomes available of impacted products, expedite the approval of any applications for the products affected by this plant disruption. Expedite the review and update the FDA Drug Shortage Database to allow for prompt 503b production.

Group Purchase Organizations (GPOs) should consider novel sourcing strategies to provide their members with additional redundancy for essential medications to minimize potential patient care disruption. Further, we recommend they communicate regularly with supply chain leaders to support access and resiliency.

Providers and clinicians should exercise a stewardship mindset when ordering, prescribing and administering medications affected by supply constraints to preserve availability for vulnerable patient populations. Alert your regulatory community with any price gouging or predatory activity.

The End Drug Shortages Alliance’s Rapid Response Team will continue to closely monitor this situation and the products that may be impacted and share updates as new information becomes available. EDSA's full report may be accessed here.

Organizations interested in joining the End Drug Shortages Alliance to collaborate and support patients during a disruption by being stewards of supply can learn more here: https://www.enddrugshortages.com/.

About End Drug Shortages Alliance

The End Drug Shortages Alliance is a collaboration of health care industry stakeholders, including providers, group purchasing organizations, manufacturers, distributors and other industry thought leaders dedicated to solving the pharmaceutical supply challenges that disrupt access to essential medications in the U.S. We prioritize initiatives focused on transparency, quality, redundancy and production of additional supply to achieve undisrupted access to essential medications for health care providers and patients.

Contacts

Meagan Finucane
(708) 407-5497
info@enddrugshortages.com