In the early months of 2018, a shortage of hyperbaric bupivacaine swept across the country affecting providers and their normal ability to care for their patients. The world of anesthesiology was rattled, but through the efforts of several leaders in the field, the drug shortage didn’t become a debilitating crisis. This is the first episode of “Anesthesiology News presents The Etherist,” the new series that tells the story of ongoing anesthesia and analgesia drug shortages affecting patients and providers across the country.