Recent research highlights the vulnerability of the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain to climate-related disasters, as many drug manufacturing facilities are situated in disaster-prone regions.

Most pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in the United States are located in areas susceptible to hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters, increasing the risk of significant supply disruptions.

A study published in JAMA identified over 10,800 active drug production facilities from 2019 to 2024, with about 63% of these located in counties where a disaster was declared.

During this period, nearly 34%, or roughly 2,146 of these facilities, were impacted by various disasters, underscoring the ongoing threat to drug manufacturing.

In response, the FDA has shifted from quarterly to daily reporting of adverse events related to drugs and biological products, providing more immediate safety updates.

While the FDA's adverse event database has limitations such as potential duplication and lack of causation proof, it still offers valuable insights for researchers.

However, the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System faces challenges like incomplete data, lack of detailed narratives, and often requires FOIA requests for more information.

Research also involved cross-referencing FDA manufacturing locations with federal disaster declarations, revealing the systemic vulnerability of the drug supply chain.