RUSSELLVILLE, AL (WAFF) -
A drug used to treat seizures and anxiety is in short supply. Emergency crews are worried about treating patients on the way to the hospital.
Crews said the shortage is more than just a local problem and it's already impacting their work.
"This is a nationwide problem," said Elzie Malone, owner of Pleasant Bay Ambulance Services.
Emergency crews in Russellville say they've already felt the effects from the shortage of benzodiazepines, which includes medicines such as Valium and Ativan.
"Not me personally, but one of our employees had a problem with that," said Malone.
He said the crew responded to a seizure patient, but since the supply of the medication needed was out, they had to wait until they got to the hospital to fully treat the patient.
"It really creates a problem when we have a patient that really needs that kind of medication and we don't have any to give them," he said. "We're just concerned now that within the next 30 days of having enough to get around with to keep those kind of people treated when they need to be."
Supplies are getting extremely low for Pleasant Bay Ambulance Services.
Malone said they are looking into other methods and drugs to treat patients.
"We're going to have something that we can take care of the problem with it may not be the Valium or Ativan, but we're going to come up with something so that we can take care of people one way or the other," he said.
Until then, Malone says they will continue to treat their patients as usual with what's left of their supply.
"We're really hopeful that they're going to come up with something within the next few days that this won't get to be a major problem," he said.
Malone said state officials expect the shortage to be addressed and hopefully fixed within the next 30 days.
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There is a shortage of benzodiazepines, drugs used to treat seizures and anxiety.
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