Zoloft shortage likely due to Covid-19

There is a shortage of the antidepressant Zoloft in the U.S., Bloomberg News reports, likely due to an increase in demand as a result of mental health strains caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Experts have been concerned about interruptions to the supply chain for various drugs as a result of Covid-19, and the FDA last week added the drug to its list of those facing shortages. Pfizer, which makes Zoloft, told Bloomberg that some versions of the drug were scarce due to the pandemic. Makers of the generic version of Zoloft, known as sertraline, also reported a shortage in their supply chains. The Bloomberg report said that there were 4.9 million prescriptions for the drug in March this year, the most ever, representing a 12% increase since March 2019. Prescriptions dipped to 4.5 million in April this year.