Oct. 31 (Bloomberg) -- Increased use of chemotherapy and other specialty drugs without a corresponding rise in manufacturing capacity has led to shortages in the pharmaceutical supply chain, according to two U.S. reports.

Drug shortages almost tripled to 178 in 2010 from 61 in 2005, according to reports by the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

President Barack Obama is issuing an executive order today directing the FDA to take more steps to address the shortages.

To contact the reporter on this story: Anna Edney in Washington at aedney@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Adriel Bettelheim at abettelheim@bloomberg.net