Medication shortage is a growing global concern, impacting both developing and developed countries, with reports of shortages of medications and/or medical supplies in hospitals and pharmacies increasing between 2021 and 2024.

The American Society of Health System Pharmacists and the University of Utah Drug Information Service have been tracking drug shortages since 2001, and according to their data, the number of drug shortages has been steady since 2021, reaching a record high of 323 drugs in the first three months of 2024.

The most worrisome shortages include sterile injectable generic drugs, such as cancer chemotherapy drugs and emergency drugs stored in hospital vans and procedural areas, which are essential for doctors and patients.

In addition to the 32 chemotherapy drugs that are deficient, the five categories of drugs with the greatest deficiency include central nervous system stimulants, antimicrobials, hormonal agents, and intravenous fluids.

The Drug Deficiency Database maintained by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists and the University of Utah is based on voluntary reports from practitioners, patients, and others that have been confirmed by manufacturers.

The U.S. drug shortage crisis has lasted for over a year and a half, with more than half of the treatment shortages lasting for more than two years, according to an analysis by health consultancy IQVIA.

The average shortage affects at least half a million patients, many of them elderly, according to the US Office of Health and Human Services under the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.

Growing demand can play a role in drug shortages, as with the recent shortage of weight-loss drugs, but often manufacturing and quality problems, such as supply chain gaps and downtime, are the root cause.

The FDA also blames manufacturing and quality problems, supply chain gaps, and downtime for the shortages.

Dr. Emily Tucker, a drug shortage expert and an assistant professor of industrial engineering at Clemson University, says that when there is an indication of shortages, large health systems often also proactively place large orders, adding to the system’s stress.

The lack of transparency in the pharmaceutical industry is also a contributing factor, with pharmaceutical companies not being required to disclose the source of their active pharmaceutical ingredients.

In France, the medicines regulator signalled 4,925 drug shortages in 2023, compared to 3,761 in 2022 and 2,160 in 2021, with 44% of people in France reporting that they had faced a drug shortage in 2024.

The French health groups have called for more transparency from pharmaceutical companies, with the League Against Cancer urging complete transparency on drug shortages and potential substitutions for health professionals.

In the United States, the FDA has pointed to 111 drug shortages, including the heart disease drug digoxin injection, the chemical drug Dacarbazine, and some antibiotics.

The FDA has also issued draft guidelines to pharmaceutical manufacturers to prevent the risk of defects, requiring them to notify the agency of changes in the manufacturing process of drugs, biological products, or active pharmaceutical ingredients.

The guidelines also state that manufacturers must submit a notice to the FDA at least six months before stopping drug production, which could lead to shortages on the market.

The American Society of Health System Pharmacists has reported shortages of 309 drugs, near the all-time high of 320 shortages in 2014, with hospital pharmacists reporting a critical shortage of chemotherapy drugs and overall medicine supply gaps.

The organization has also noted that the continued nationwide shortage of ADHD drugs is “a problem for clinicians and patients”.

The FDA has allowed overseas drug manufacturers to import some chemotherapy drugs, including the injectable chemotherapy drug cisplatin, to address the shortage.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network has released a survey of 27 academic cancer centers, finding that 93% reported shortages of carboplatin and 70% faced shortages of cisplatin.

The shortage of chemotherapy drugs has forced hospitals to divert patients and ration medications, with some hospitals and clinics saying that doctors have had to divert patients to ration their medications.

The White House has proposed spending between $3.26 billion and $5.11 billion over the next decade to help address the nation’s drug shortage.

The American Society of Health System Pharmacists has called for Congress to require manufacturers to be more transparent on any supply chain issues and encourage more diversity in supply chains.

The FDA has also been working with manufacturers to address the drug shortage, with the agency relying primarily on phone calls to manufacturers asking if they can increase their supply to understand the situation.

A global study by The Lancet found that there are about 6.4 million doctors missing in the world, with the greatest shortage of doctors in South Asia, where there is a shortage of 2.57 million doctors.

The study also found that there are more than 43 million health workers missing globally, with the availability of health workers closely related to the level of social and economic development of the region.

The authors of the study have called on leaders of countries to pay attention to the problem of shortage of medical workers and to develop comprehensive programs to solve it.

Overall, the medication shortage is a complex issue with multiple factors contributing to it, including manufacturing and quality problems, supply chain gaps, and downtime, as well as a lack of transparency in the pharmaceutical industry.

The impact of the shortage is significant, with hospitals and pharmacies struggling to cope with the lack of essential medications, and patients being forced to divert or ration their medications.

Addressing the medication shortage will require a comprehensive approach, including increased transparency and diversity in supply chains, as well as investments in the healthcare workforce and infrastructure.

Medication shortage is a growing global concern, impacting both developing and developed countries, with reports of shortages of medications and/or medical supplies in hospitals and pharmacies increasing between 2021 and 2024.

Title:

Content: General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
An Unexpected Catastrophe in the World ’ s Largest Country: The Complete Story of U.S. Drug Shortages
The deficit is at a record level.
According to data from the American Society of Health System Pharmacists and the University of Utah Drug Information Service, organizations began tracking drug shortages for the first time in 2001. Steady since 2021 – now reaching a record high of 323 drugs in the first three months of 2024.
Paul Abramowitz, CEO of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists, wrote in a blog post on Thursday: “It ’ s been a long time to end drug shortages, ” and wrote:“ All drug classes are vulnerable to shortages, some of the most worrisome shortages include sterile injectable generic drugs, including cancer chemotherapy drugs and emergency drugs stored in hospital vans and procedural areas. It is dangerous for doctors and patients. ”
In addition to the 32 chemotherapy drugs that are deficient, the five categories of drugs with the greatest deficiency include central nervous system stimulants, antimicrobials, hormonal agents, and intravenous fluids. [1] The Drug Deficiency Database maintained by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists and the University of Utah is based on voluntary reports from practitioners, patients, and others that have been confirmed by manufacturers. The U.S. drug is in short supply, because it captures broader effects on service providers and patients.
The crisis has lasted a year and a half.
More than half of the treatment shortages have lasted for more than two years, according to an analysis by health consultancy IQVIA, and the average shortage affects at least half a million patients, many of them elderly, according to the US Office of Health and Human Services under the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, which shared its analysis with Congress in May.
Growing demand can play a role in drug shortages, as with the recent shortage of weight-loss drugs, but often manufacturing and quality problems, such as supply chain gaps and downtime, are the root cause. And varied.
But the American Society of Health System Pharmacists has “serious concerns ” about parts of this proposal, especially financial sanctions imposed on hospitals that lack the resources to comply with the recommendations, Abramowitz wrote:“ We all know that managing shortages is not enough and is not a sustainable solution to the worsening crisis, and there is still a lot of work to be done at the federal level to fix the root causes of drug shortages. ”
Why Shortage Occurs
Shortages can be caused by high demand, as with the recent shortage of weight-loss drugs, but this is not usually the main problem.
The FDA also blames manufacturing and quality problems, supply chain gaps, and downtime, and Dr. Emily Tucker, a drug shortage expert and an assistant professor of industrial engineering at Clemson University, says that when there is an indication of shortages, large health systems often also proactively place large orders, adding to the system ’ s stress.
“I don ’ t blame anyone.
“When I talk to all the stakeholders – whether it ’ s wholesalers, manufacturers, or the government – everyone wants this problem to end, ” she said.
Lack of transparency
Dr. Julie Grallo, chief medical officer and executive vice president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, told the House Committee earlier that the shortage puts providers in a terrible position: “The drug shortage crisis is forcing providers to make impossible choices, and it is also hindering the development of new drugs. Health drugs are purchased only on a price basis, and manufacturers do not have to disclose the source of their acquisition of the ingredients.
The shortage of this generic chemical drug came due to the closure of one factory in India that manufactures the active ingredient after a surprise FDA inspection found “significant quality issues, ” says Jarallo:“ We didn ’ t know, and there was no transparency regarding the company ’ s supply of the majority of active pharmaceutical ingredients to all manufacturers across the board.
Knowing this in advance, we could have responded much faster, ” Dr. Steven Schundlemeyer, director of the PRIME Institute of the University of Minnesota School of Pharmacy, which focuses on economic and management issues, told the committee that as with defense contractors in the United States, New Zealand requires manufacturers to disclose their suppliers, and that information is required.
Easily accessible in the database.
Related Topics

The American Society of Health System Pharmacists and the University of Utah Drug Information Service have been tracking drug shortages since 2001, and according to their data, the number of drug shortages has been steady since 2021, reaching a record high of 323 drugs in the first three months of 2024.

The most worrisome shortages include sterile injectable generic drugs, such as cancer chemotherapy drugs and emergency drugs stored in hospital vans and procedural areas, which are essential for doctors and patients.

The U.S. drug shortage crisis has lasted for over a year and a half, with more than half of the treatment shortages lasting for more than two years, according to an analysis by health consultancy IQVIA.

The average shortage affects at least half a million patients, many of them elderly, according to the US Office of Health and Human Services under the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.

The FDA also blames manufacturing and quality problems, supply chain gaps, and downtime for the shortages.

Title:

Content: French health groups put forward proposals to limit the damage of worsening drug shortages

Medicines such as cough syrup, lozenges and ointment are seen on a table in an apartment in Berlin, Tuesday, December 20, 2022. Copyright Stephanie Pilick/dpa via AP
Copyright Stephanie Pilick/dpa via AP
By Lauren Chadwick
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Pharmaceutical companies’ lack of transparency leads to rising drug prices and less control over public resources, the group of health organisations say.

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A group of French organisations have called for more transparency from pharmaceutical companies as drug shortages increase.

In a joint report, 14 civil society organisations outlined their recommendations to solve a “situation that has only worsened” since 2018.

The French medicines regulator signalled 4,925 drug shortages in 2023, compared to 3,761 in 2022 and 2,160 in 2021.

A 2024 survey from France Assos Santé, which represents patients, found that 44 per cent of people in France said they had faced a drug shortage this year.

One of the pharmacy unions in France has even planned a strike at the end of the month over drug shortages and what they say is worsening access to care.

Each health organisation contributed an article with recommendations for dealing with the drug shortages.

The League Against Cancer urged complete transparency on drug shortages and potential substitutions for health professionals.

They also called for monitoring of medicine stocks and their location in the country to guarantee equal access.

The organisation found in a survey published in February that 78 per cent of health professionals in oncology had been faced with a drug shortage.

Drug shortages or delays have led to anxiety among cancer patients, lost time, and worsening symptoms, the organisation said.

France Assos Santé, meanwhile, wrote that an urgent response should not be to support “the industrial sector which bears serious responsibilities” for abandoning the production of less profitable drugs, relocating drug production, and keeping insufficient medicine stocks.

They would like any cost increases justified by production costs or the risk of withdrawing a drug from the market due to it being unprofitable. They called for cost evaluations to be made public.

Their concerns also range from the use of public money to bring drug production to Europe to new government plans to prevent shortages.

Some changes at the EU level criticised

Last year, the European Commission announced several measures to reform the pharmaceutical industry and address critical drug shortages.

The European Parliament went on to adopt a position on pharmaceutical reform last month, that included “incentives for innovation” and an effort to limit overuse of antibiotics.

The non-profit organisation Prescrire, which focuses on information about medicine, wrote in a chapter they contributed to the report that while some of the European Commission’s measures were welcome, others were concerning.

One of the many measures they rejected included the Commission’s proposal to reduce the number of days of scientific evaluation of drugs from 210 to 180, which they said was necessary time rather than an “administrative obstacle”.

While the NGO welcomed some measures such as government drug shortage prevention plans, it said the Commission should allow EU states to require pharmaceutical companies to have safety stocks of medicine and sanction those that do not respect them.

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French consumer organisation UFC-Que Choisir and the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) said that they had hoped MEPs would shorten the length of time for “data protection” to allow generic medicines to be marketed more quickly.

Instead, MEPs approved shortening the period to 7.5 years, “which is almost the same duration as the current 8 years [yet] within the framework of the text adopted by Parliament, companies can gain additional months of protection under certain conditions to reach a total of 8.5 years,” UFC-Que Choisir said.

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Dr. Emily Tucker, a drug shortage expert and an assistant professor of industrial engineering at Clemson University, says that when there is an indication of shortages, large health systems often also proactively place large orders, adding to the system’s stress.

The lack of transparency in the pharmaceutical industry is also a contributing factor, with pharmaceutical companies not being required to disclose the source of their active pharmaceutical ingredients.

In France, the medicines regulator signalled 4,925 drug shortages in 2023, compared to 3,761 in 2022 and 2,160 in 2021, with 44% of people in France reporting that they had faced a drug shortage in 2024.

The French health groups have called for more transparency from pharmaceutical companies, with the League Against Cancer urging complete transparency on drug shortages and potential substitutions for health professionals.

In the United States, the FDA has pointed to 111 drug shortages, including the heart disease drug digoxin injection, the chemical drug Dacarbazine, and some antibiotics.

Title:

Content: US supply chain crisis continues, FDA points to 111 drug shortages
Global Social Hotspot 16: 35 2021 / 12 / 05
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The supply chain crisis in the United States continues, and many goods are facing shortages.
The US media said that the US pharmacies have a number of critical prescription drugs in stock. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pointed out that about 111 drugs are out of stock in the United States. The FDA stressed that it will continue to take measures to monitor the supply chain.
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The Federal Reserve warned on Wednesday that large parts of the United States had begun to be affected by supply chain disruptions and labor shortages last month.
According to the FDA website, 111 drugs are out of stock in the United States, including the heart disease drug digoxin injection, the chemical drug Dacarbazine and some antibiotics.
The authorities say there are many reasons for the shortage, including production problems, quality problems, drugs and even the suspension of production.
According to the FDA, about 80% of the manufacturers of active pharmaceutical ingredients are located overseas, and the manufacturers have provided the FDA with most of the drug shortage information.
The Administration will also work closely with these manufacturers to address the drug shortage.
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Long Island Newspaper Newsday quoted Tom D'Angelo, president of the New York State Association of Pharmacists, as saying the shipping of a large number of medicines, including those for common blood pressure and for the treatment of colds and flu, was blocked.
Because of supply chain problems, the owner of a New York drugstore said there were fewer brands for some drugs, including Ibuprofen.
The National Association of Community Pharmacists (NCPA) released a survey last month that found that most non-chain pharmacies are struggling to fill employee vacancies and cope with supply chain disruptions.
Sixty percent of pharmacies surveyed said they were dealing with supply chain disruptions, and nearly 70 percent said it was difficult to fill staff vacancies.
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The FDA has also issued draft guidelines to pharmaceutical manufacturers to prevent the risk of defects, requiring them to notify the agency of changes in the manufacturing process of drugs, biological products, or active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Title:

Content: FDA gave instructions to pharmaceutical manufacturers to prevent the risk of defects
The FDA has released a draft guideline that will allow pharmaceutical manufacturers to more accurately report disruptions to the production of drugs and APIs.
In particular, it specifies who should contact the regulator in case of a failure in production and on which products it is necessary to transmit information.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued draft guidelines to pharmaceutical manufacturers to prevent the risk of flaw.
According to the instructions, they will notify the agency of changes in the manufacturing process of drugs, biological products or active pharmaceutical ingredients (API).
In the United States, FD & C. It requires manufacturers to notify the agency of interruptions in the supply of products or APIs.
The FDA ’ s new guidelines provide clarifications.
Manufacturers must submit a notice to the FDA at least six months before stopping drug production, which could lead to their shortages on the market.
If it is not possible to notify the agency six months in advance, it should be done “as soon as possible ”.
If interruptions in production may affect the supply situation, the manufacturer should assess the situation only on the basis of its capabilities.
It should not take into account the capacity of other manufacturers, the amount of product on the market or market demand.
The guidelines also state what specific product or API information manufacturers should report when informing the FDA.
CBS, citing a report from the US Senate, writes that by the end of 2022, the shortage of drugs in the US had reached a five-year peak and affected almost 300 pharmaceutical products.
This is due to the fact that the United States moved production to China, India and other countries.
According to the American Society of Health System Pharmacists, products such as sodium chloride solution, the antibiotic amoxicillin and albuterol inhalation solution are now in short supply.
Nikolay Sokolov
pharmvestnik

The guidelines also state that manufacturers must submit a notice to the FDA at least six months before stopping drug production, which could lead to shortages on the market.

The American Society of Health System Pharmacists has reported shortages of 309 drugs, near the all-time high of 320 shortages in 2014, with hospital pharmacists reporting a critical shortage of chemotherapy drugs and overall medicine supply gaps.

Title:

Content: As drug shortage list grows, many hospitals face tough decisions on rationing care

More than half of hospital pharmacists are reporting a critical shortage of chemotherapy drugs and nearly all are reporting overall medicine supply gaps as prescription drug shortages near an all time high, according to a new survey.

Hospital pharmacists said drug shortages have forced 1 in 3 health systems to delay, cancel or ration care or switch to alternate drugs to continue to treat patients. And 99% are reporting some drug supply shortages, an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists survey of more than 1,000 pharmacists released Thursday found.

The organization reported shortages of 309 drugs, near the all-time high of 320 shortages in 2014. The scarcity of key drugs is prompting hospitals to find or substitute drugs and change treatment plans as needed.

“In some cases, there are no alternatives to the affected drugs, which puts patients at risk," ASHP Chief Executive Officer Paul W. Abramowitz said in a statement. "This issue requires quick action from Congress to address the underlying causes of shortages and ensure patients have the medications they need.”

Cancer drug shortages

In June, the Food and Drug Administration said it will temporarily allow overseas drug manufacturers to import some chemotherapy drugs.

The FDA allowed Qilu Pharmaceutical, a drug manufacturer in China, to import the injectable chemotherapy drug cisplatin in 50-milligram vials. Toronto pharmaceutical company Apotex Corp. will distribute the medication in the United States.

More than a dozen cancer drugs have been in shortage in recent months, including cisplatin and carboplatin, used to treat lung, breast, prostate and gynecologic cancers. The National Cancer Institute said cisplatin and similar drugs are prescribed for 10% to 20% of all cancer patients.

In June, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network released a survey of 27 academic cancer centers that found 93% reported shortages of carboplatin and 70% faced shortages of cisplatin.

When cancer hospitals face such shortages, they attempt to make sure there's enough medication for patients to finish the course of treatment, said Mike Ganio, ASHP's senior director of pharmacy practice and quality.

Cancer hospitals facing such shortages might change medications for new patients starting on chemotherapy, said Ganio, a former pharmacy manager at an academic cancer center.

"You try to keep that patient on the same regimen as much as you can, unless they're failing it for some reason, and then you would switch," Ganio said.

Steroids, hormonal drugs also in short supply

More than 1 in 5 hospital pharmacists also reported shortages for steroids, hormonal drugs and oral liquids such as lidocaine, ibuprofen and amoxicillin.

A smaller number of pharmacists said heart medications, emergency prefilled syringes and drugs used for intensive care unit patients were in short supply. Others reported shortages of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medicines, antimicrobial drugs and injectable opioids.

In all, about two-thirds of pharmacists said the shortages were "moderately impactful," which means they are managing shortages but patients are affected.

Pharmacists are managing the shortages by offering therapeutic alternatives, buying different vial sizes or concentrations and rationing medicines.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Survey: Drug shortages are widespread, hospitals ration care

The organization has also noted that the continued nationwide shortage of ADHD drugs is “a problem for clinicians and patients”.

Title:

Content: Meitu
The first quarter of the United States serious drug shortage 323 drugs urgent cancer patients also have to be diverted and rationed!
CHU HENG NETWORK NEWS CENTER 2024-04-16 10: 42
According to the latest data from the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the Utah Center for Drug Information Services, a total of 323 drugs in the United States were in severe shortages in the first quarter of this year, surpassing the record of 320 in 2014.
Among the drugs affected are the widely used diabetes drugs Ozempic and Mounjaro, the allergy treatment drug adrenaline, the common antibiotic amoxicillin for children, chemotherapy drugs and injections commonly used in hospitals in intensive care.
ASHP CEO Paul Abramowitz said in a statement that almost all categories of drugs are facing shortages, with non-patented sterile injectable drugs, including cancer chemotherapy drugs, and emergency drugs stored in hospital emergency vans and operating areas, the shortage of such drugs is the most worrying.
According to the American Cancer Society, chemotherapy is one of the top five drugs most affected by the shortage, which threatens to have a devastating impact on patients, and some hospitals and clinics say doctors have had to divert patients to ration their medications because of a shortage of some chemotherapy drugs.
In addition, ASHP noted that the continued nationwide shortage of ADHD drugs is “a problem for clinicians and patients. ”
The shortage of popular drugs is even more acute, with Mounjaro, the diabetes drug known as the “slimming pill ”, already in dire straits.
In response, Lilly said that the “unprecedented surge in demand ” for Mounjaro and its similar drug Zepbound has led to a shortage in the market, which the company is struggling to cope with.
Lilly is ramping up investments to boost production at Mounjaro and Zepbound in the second half of 2024.
The company said it expects intermittent supply disruptions in the near term due to unprecedented demand.
How to cure the drug shortage
The last major “drug shortage ” in U.S. history occurred in 2014, and it has only been alleviated in the years since.
Since 2021, the drug shortage situation seems to be increasing, and scholars in the field of medical health and economics in the United States believe that the reason for most drug shortages in the United States is the fragmentation of the drug supply chain.
The White House this month proposed spending between $3.26 billion and $5.11 billion over the next decade to help address the nation ’ s drug shortage.
The bill requires approval and funding from the U.S. Congress.
U.S. researchers and policymakers believe that a complete solution to the “drug shortage ” may require changes to the business model of the U.S. pharmaceutical industry, including measures to increase the price of generic drugs to attract more drug manufacturers.
Policymakers recommend giving the FDA more power to access more information about drug shortages and impending shortages.
Currently, the FDA relies primarily on phone calls to manufacturers asking if they can increase their supply to understand the situation.
The American Society of Health System Pharmacists said it is working with the federal government to advise the government on measures to address the drug shortage, including that Congress should require manufacturers to be more transparent on any supply chain issues and encourage more diversity in supply chains.
According to Abramowitz, “The federal government still has a lot of work to do to fundamentally address drug shortages, and the American Society of Health System Pharmacists will continue to engage regularly with policymakers to guide them in drafting and passing new legislation to address drug shortages and continue to advocate vigorously for proven solutions on behalf of our members. ”

The FDA has allowed overseas drug manufacturers to import some chemotherapy drugs, including the injectable chemotherapy drug cisplatin, to address the shortage.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network has released a survey of 27 academic cancer centers, finding that 93% reported shortages of carboplatin and 70% faced shortages of cisplatin.

The shortage of chemotherapy drugs has forced hospitals to divert patients and ration medications, with some hospitals and clinics saying that doctors have had to divert patients to ration their medications.

The White House has proposed spending between $3.26 billion and $5.11 billion over the next decade to help address the nation’s drug shortage.

The American Society of Health System Pharmacists has called for Congress to require manufacturers to be more transparent on any supply chain issues and encourage more diversity in supply chains.

The FDA has also been working with manufacturers to address the drug shortage, with the agency relying primarily on phone calls to manufacturers asking if they can increase their supply to understand the situation.

A global study by The Lancet found that there are about 6.4 million doctors missing in the world, with the greatest shortage of doctors in South Asia, where there is a shortage of 2.57 million doctors.

Title:

Content: A global study by The Lancet found that there are about 6.4 million doctors missing in the world.
To date, more than 12.8 million specialists with a medical diploma work in the field of health care, but much more is needed.
Staffing capacity
The study, titled “Measuring human resource affordability for health and its relationship to universal health coverage for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study, ” was published May 23 in The Lancet.
The authors studied the number of doctors, nurses and midwives, dental and pharmaceutical staff and found that as of 2019, there were shortages of doctors in 132 countries.
Globally, there are more than 43 million health workers missing when we compare the current level of coverage with the targets needed to achieve universal health coverage.
“This is the most comprehensive and comprehensive assessment to date of the global health workforce.
Adequate numbers of health workers are necessary for the normal functioning of health systems, so it is important to own such data so that countries can make informed decisions and plan for the future, ” said the study ’ s senior author, director of health organization at the Institute of Health Metrics and Assessment (IHME) at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Dr. Rafael Lozano.
As of 2019, there were 104 million healthcare workers worldwide, including 12.8 million doctors, 29.8 million nurses and midwives, 4.6 million dental workers, and 5.2 million pharmacists and pharmacists.
The study revealed more than a tenfold difference in the availability of health workers across regions and between countries.
The greatest shortage of doctors is in South Asia, where there is a shortage of 2.57 million doctors; in sub-Saharan Africa, there is a shortage of about 1.92 million doctors, in Southeast Asia, East Asia and Oceania - 995,000, in North Africa and the Middle East - 636,000 doctors.
On average, there are 16.7 doctors per 10,000 people in the world.
Density ranges from 2.9 physicians per 10,000 population in sub-Saharan Africa to 38.3 per 10,000 in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Cuba unexpectedly stands out among other countries with an indicator of 84.4 doctors per 10 thousand people (for comparison: 2.1 doctors per 10 thousand in Haiti).
The availability of health workers in general is closely related to the level of social and economic development of the region, the authors of the study noted.
Health standards
“There are various strategies and policy approaches that can help address staffing shortages, and they need to be tailored to the individual situation in each country.
We hope that these assessments can be used to prioritize policy actions and inform future planning.
Achieving high levels of effective health coverage requires a significant increase in the number of health workers worldwide, ” the press release said.
Experts assessed staffing based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the WHO Health Personnel 2030 strategy.
The authors of the study called on the leaders of countries to pay attention to the problem of shortage of medical workers and to develop comprehensive programs to solve it
Overall, experts estimate that an additional 6.4 million doctors, 30.6 million nurses, 3.3 million dentists and 2.9 million pharmacists and pharmacists are required to reach the minimum thresholds.
“We do not consider these minimum thresholds mandatory, rather desirable.
We propose to use them as guidelines, and then the program developers in each country should take into account their own situation and their own experience.
In some places, the healthcare system works better with fewer staff, and in some places worse with more staff.
The threshold is a convenient and innovative metric for determining gaps, but it should be remembered that this is not only a matter of quantity, but also of quality, ” the study says.
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Padtrymats “People ’ s Will ”

The study also found that there are more than 43 million health workers missing globally, with the availability of health workers closely related to the level of social and economic development of the region.

The authors of the study have called on leaders of countries to pay attention to the problem of shortage of medical workers and to develop comprehensive programs to solve it.

Overall, the medication shortage is a complex issue with multiple factors contributing to it, including manufacturing and quality problems, supply chain gaps, and downtime, as well as a lack of transparency in the pharmaceutical industry.

The impact of the shortage is significant, with hospitals and pharmacies struggling to cope with the lack of essential medications, and patients being forced to divert or ration their medications.

Addressing the medication shortage will require a comprehensive approach, including increased transparency and diversity in supply chains, as well as investments in the healthcare workforce and infrastructure.


Medication shortage is a growing global concern, impacting both developing and developed countries, with the US experiencing a record high of 323 drug shortages in the first three months of 2024.

The shortage affects various drug classes, including sterile injectable generic drugs, cancer chemotherapy drugs, and emergency drugs stored in hospital vans and procedural areas.

According to the American Society of Health System Pharmacists, more than half of the treatment shortages have lasted for more than two years, affecting at least half a million patients, many of them elderly.

The reasons behind the shortages include manufacturing and quality problems, supply chain gaps, and downtime, with growing demand also playing a role in some cases.

In France, the number of drug shortages has increased, with 4,925 drug shortages reported in 2023, compared to 3,761 in 2022 and 2,160 in 2021.

The FDA has reported 111 drug shortages in the US, including heart disease drugs, antibiotics, and chemotherapy drugs.

To address the shortage, the US government has proposed spending between $3.26 billion and $5.11 billion over the next decade to help address the nation’s drug shortage.

The FDA has also issued draft guidelines to pharmaceutical manufacturers to prevent the risk of defects and improve reporting of disruptions to the production of drugs and APIs.

Healthcare systems have coped with the shortage by rationing care, delaying or canceling treatments, and switching to alternate drugs.

Overall, the medication shortage is a complex issue with multiple causes and consequences, requiring a comprehensive approach to address the root causes and ensure patients have access to the medications they need.

Medication shortage is a growing global concern, impacting both developing and developed countries, with the US experiencing a record high of 323 drug shortages in the first three months of 2024.

Title:

Content: General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
An Unexpected Catastrophe in the World ’ s Largest Country: The Complete Story of U.S. Drug Shortages
The deficit is at a record level.
According to data from the American Society of Health System Pharmacists and the University of Utah Drug Information Service, organizations began tracking drug shortages for the first time in 2001. Steady since 2021 – now reaching a record high of 323 drugs in the first three months of 2024.
Paul Abramowitz, CEO of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists, wrote in a blog post on Thursday: “It ’ s been a long time to end drug shortages, ” and wrote:“ All drug classes are vulnerable to shortages, some of the most worrisome shortages include sterile injectable generic drugs, including cancer chemotherapy drugs and emergency drugs stored in hospital vans and procedural areas. It is dangerous for doctors and patients. ”
In addition to the 32 chemotherapy drugs that are deficient, the five categories of drugs with the greatest deficiency include central nervous system stimulants, antimicrobials, hormonal agents, and intravenous fluids. [1] The Drug Deficiency Database maintained by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists and the University of Utah is based on voluntary reports from practitioners, patients, and others that have been confirmed by manufacturers. The U.S. drug is in short supply, because it captures broader effects on service providers and patients.
The crisis has lasted a year and a half.
More than half of the treatment shortages have lasted for more than two years, according to an analysis by health consultancy IQVIA, and the average shortage affects at least half a million patients, many of them elderly, according to the US Office of Health and Human Services under the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, which shared its analysis with Congress in May.
Growing demand can play a role in drug shortages, as with the recent shortage of weight-loss drugs, but often manufacturing and quality problems, such as supply chain gaps and downtime, are the root cause. And varied.
But the American Society of Health System Pharmacists has “serious concerns ” about parts of this proposal, especially financial sanctions imposed on hospitals that lack the resources to comply with the recommendations, Abramowitz wrote:“ We all know that managing shortages is not enough and is not a sustainable solution to the worsening crisis, and there is still a lot of work to be done at the federal level to fix the root causes of drug shortages. ”
Why Shortage Occurs
Shortages can be caused by high demand, as with the recent shortage of weight-loss drugs, but this is not usually the main problem.
The FDA also blames manufacturing and quality problems, supply chain gaps, and downtime, and Dr. Emily Tucker, a drug shortage expert and an assistant professor of industrial engineering at Clemson University, says that when there is an indication of shortages, large health systems often also proactively place large orders, adding to the system ’ s stress.
“I don ’ t blame anyone.
“When I talk to all the stakeholders – whether it ’ s wholesalers, manufacturers, or the government – everyone wants this problem to end, ” she said.
Lack of transparency
Dr. Julie Grallo, chief medical officer and executive vice president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, told the House Committee earlier that the shortage puts providers in a terrible position: “The drug shortage crisis is forcing providers to make impossible choices, and it is also hindering the development of new drugs. Health drugs are purchased only on a price basis, and manufacturers do not have to disclose the source of their acquisition of the ingredients.
The shortage of this generic chemical drug came due to the closure of one factory in India that manufactures the active ingredient after a surprise FDA inspection found “significant quality issues, ” says Jarallo:“ We didn ’ t know, and there was no transparency regarding the company ’ s supply of the majority of active pharmaceutical ingredients to all manufacturers across the board.
Knowing this in advance, we could have responded much faster, ” Dr. Steven Schundlemeyer, director of the PRIME Institute of the University of Minnesota School of Pharmacy, which focuses on economic and management issues, told the committee that as with defense contractors in the United States, New Zealand requires manufacturers to disclose their suppliers, and that information is required.
Easily accessible in the database.
Related Topics

The shortage affects various drug classes, including sterile injectable generic drugs, cancer chemotherapy drugs, and emergency drugs stored in hospital vans and procedural areas.

According to the American Society of Health System Pharmacists, more than half of the treatment shortages have lasted for more than two years, affecting at least half a million patients, many of them elderly.

The reasons behind the shortages include manufacturing and quality problems, supply chain gaps, and downtime, with growing demand also playing a role in some cases.

In France, the number of drug shortages has increased, with 4,925 drug shortages reported in 2023, compared to 3,761 in 2022 and 2,160 in 2021.

Title:

Content: French health groups put forward proposals to limit the damage of worsening drug shortages

Medicines such as cough syrup, lozenges and ointment are seen on a table in an apartment in Berlin, Tuesday, December 20, 2022. Copyright Stephanie Pilick/dpa via AP
Copyright Stephanie Pilick/dpa via AP
By Lauren Chadwick
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Share this article

Pharmaceutical companies’ lack of transparency leads to rising drug prices and less control over public resources, the group of health organisations say.

ADVERTISEMENT

A group of French organisations have called for more transparency from pharmaceutical companies as drug shortages increase.

In a joint report, 14 civil society organisations outlined their recommendations to solve a “situation that has only worsened” since 2018.

The French medicines regulator signalled 4,925 drug shortages in 2023, compared to 3,761 in 2022 and 2,160 in 2021.

A 2024 survey from France Assos Santé, which represents patients, found that 44 per cent of people in France said they had faced a drug shortage this year.

One of the pharmacy unions in France has even planned a strike at the end of the month over drug shortages and what they say is worsening access to care.

Each health organisation contributed an article with recommendations for dealing with the drug shortages.

The League Against Cancer urged complete transparency on drug shortages and potential substitutions for health professionals.

They also called for monitoring of medicine stocks and their location in the country to guarantee equal access.

The organisation found in a survey published in February that 78 per cent of health professionals in oncology had been faced with a drug shortage.

Drug shortages or delays have led to anxiety among cancer patients, lost time, and worsening symptoms, the organisation said.

France Assos Santé, meanwhile, wrote that an urgent response should not be to support “the industrial sector which bears serious responsibilities” for abandoning the production of less profitable drugs, relocating drug production, and keeping insufficient medicine stocks.

They would like any cost increases justified by production costs or the risk of withdrawing a drug from the market due to it being unprofitable. They called for cost evaluations to be made public.

Their concerns also range from the use of public money to bring drug production to Europe to new government plans to prevent shortages.

Some changes at the EU level criticised

Last year, the European Commission announced several measures to reform the pharmaceutical industry and address critical drug shortages.

The European Parliament went on to adopt a position on pharmaceutical reform last month, that included “incentives for innovation” and an effort to limit overuse of antibiotics.

The non-profit organisation Prescrire, which focuses on information about medicine, wrote in a chapter they contributed to the report that while some of the European Commission’s measures were welcome, others were concerning.

One of the many measures they rejected included the Commission’s proposal to reduce the number of days of scientific evaluation of drugs from 210 to 180, which they said was necessary time rather than an “administrative obstacle”.

While the NGO welcomed some measures such as government drug shortage prevention plans, it said the Commission should allow EU states to require pharmaceutical companies to have safety stocks of medicine and sanction those that do not respect them.

ADVERTISEMENT

French consumer organisation UFC-Que Choisir and the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) said that they had hoped MEPs would shorten the length of time for “data protection” to allow generic medicines to be marketed more quickly.

Instead, MEPs approved shortening the period to 7.5 years, “which is almost the same duration as the current 8 years [yet] within the framework of the text adopted by Parliament, companies can gain additional months of protection under certain conditions to reach a total of 8.5 years,” UFC-Que Choisir said.

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The FDA has reported 111 drug shortages in the US, including heart disease drugs, antibiotics, and chemotherapy drugs.

Title:

Content: US supply chain crisis continues, FDA points to 111 drug shortages
Global Social Hotspot 16: 35 2021 / 12 / 05
Share:
The supply chain crisis in the United States continues, and many goods are facing shortages.
The US media said that the US pharmacies have a number of critical prescription drugs in stock. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pointed out that about 111 drugs are out of stock in the United States. The FDA stressed that it will continue to take measures to monitor the supply chain.
【 Omicron variant 】 Travellers must have a negative test within 48 hours for entering the United Kingdom 【 Next 】
The Federal Reserve warned on Wednesday that large parts of the United States had begun to be affected by supply chain disruptions and labor shortages last month.
According to the FDA website, 111 drugs are out of stock in the United States, including the heart disease drug digoxin injection, the chemical drug Dacarbazine and some antibiotics.
The authorities say there are many reasons for the shortage, including production problems, quality problems, drugs and even the suspension of production.
According to the FDA, about 80% of the manufacturers of active pharmaceutical ingredients are located overseas, and the manufacturers have provided the FDA with most of the drug shortage information.
The Administration will also work closely with these manufacturers to address the drug shortage.
【 Omicron variant 】 Study: Omicron carries a cold virus gene or helps avoid the immune system 【 Next 】
Long Island Newspaper Newsday quoted Tom D'Angelo, president of the New York State Association of Pharmacists, as saying the shipping of a large number of medicines, including those for common blood pressure and for the treatment of colds and flu, was blocked.
Because of supply chain problems, the owner of a New York drugstore said there were fewer brands for some drugs, including Ibuprofen.
The National Association of Community Pharmacists (NCPA) released a survey last month that found that most non-chain pharmacies are struggling to fill employee vacancies and cope with supply chain disruptions.
Sixty percent of pharmacies surveyed said they were dealing with supply chain disruptions, and nearly 70 percent said it was difficult to fill staff vacancies.
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To address the shortage, the US government has proposed spending between $3.26 billion and $5.11 billion over the next decade to help address the nation’s drug shortage.

Title:

Content: Meitu
The first quarter of the United States serious drug shortage 323 drugs urgent cancer patients also have to be diverted and rationed!
CHU HENG NETWORK NEWS CENTER 2024-04-16 10: 42
According to the latest data from the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the Utah Center for Drug Information Services, a total of 323 drugs in the United States were in severe shortages in the first quarter of this year, surpassing the record of 320 in 2014.
Among the drugs affected are the widely used diabetes drugs Ozempic and Mounjaro, the allergy treatment drug adrenaline, the common antibiotic amoxicillin for children, chemotherapy drugs and injections commonly used in hospitals in intensive care.
ASHP CEO Paul Abramowitz said in a statement that almost all categories of drugs are facing shortages, with non-patented sterile injectable drugs, including cancer chemotherapy drugs, and emergency drugs stored in hospital emergency vans and operating areas, the shortage of such drugs is the most worrying.
According to the American Cancer Society, chemotherapy is one of the top five drugs most affected by the shortage, which threatens to have a devastating impact on patients, and some hospitals and clinics say doctors have had to divert patients to ration their medications because of a shortage of some chemotherapy drugs.
In addition, ASHP noted that the continued nationwide shortage of ADHD drugs is “a problem for clinicians and patients. ”
The shortage of popular drugs is even more acute, with Mounjaro, the diabetes drug known as the “slimming pill ”, already in dire straits.
In response, Lilly said that the “unprecedented surge in demand ” for Mounjaro and its similar drug Zepbound has led to a shortage in the market, which the company is struggling to cope with.
Lilly is ramping up investments to boost production at Mounjaro and Zepbound in the second half of 2024.
The company said it expects intermittent supply disruptions in the near term due to unprecedented demand.
How to cure the drug shortage
The last major “drug shortage ” in U.S. history occurred in 2014, and it has only been alleviated in the years since.
Since 2021, the drug shortage situation seems to be increasing, and scholars in the field of medical health and economics in the United States believe that the reason for most drug shortages in the United States is the fragmentation of the drug supply chain.
The White House this month proposed spending between $3.26 billion and $5.11 billion over the next decade to help address the nation ’ s drug shortage.
The bill requires approval and funding from the U.S. Congress.
U.S. researchers and policymakers believe that a complete solution to the “drug shortage ” may require changes to the business model of the U.S. pharmaceutical industry, including measures to increase the price of generic drugs to attract more drug manufacturers.
Policymakers recommend giving the FDA more power to access more information about drug shortages and impending shortages.
Currently, the FDA relies primarily on phone calls to manufacturers asking if they can increase their supply to understand the situation.
The American Society of Health System Pharmacists said it is working with the federal government to advise the government on measures to address the drug shortage, including that Congress should require manufacturers to be more transparent on any supply chain issues and encourage more diversity in supply chains.
According to Abramowitz, “The federal government still has a lot of work to do to fundamentally address drug shortages, and the American Society of Health System Pharmacists will continue to engage regularly with policymakers to guide them in drafting and passing new legislation to address drug shortages and continue to advocate vigorously for proven solutions on behalf of our members. ”

The FDA has also issued draft guidelines to pharmaceutical manufacturers to prevent the risk of defects and improve reporting of disruptions to the production of drugs and APIs.

Title:

Content: FDA gave instructions to pharmaceutical manufacturers to prevent the risk of defects
The FDA has released a draft guideline that will allow pharmaceutical manufacturers to more accurately report disruptions to the production of drugs and APIs.
In particular, it specifies who should contact the regulator in case of a failure in production and on which products it is necessary to transmit information.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued draft guidelines to pharmaceutical manufacturers to prevent the risk of flaw.
According to the instructions, they will notify the agency of changes in the manufacturing process of drugs, biological products or active pharmaceutical ingredients (API).
In the United States, FD & C. It requires manufacturers to notify the agency of interruptions in the supply of products or APIs.
The FDA ’ s new guidelines provide clarifications.
Manufacturers must submit a notice to the FDA at least six months before stopping drug production, which could lead to their shortages on the market.
If it is not possible to notify the agency six months in advance, it should be done “as soon as possible ”.
If interruptions in production may affect the supply situation, the manufacturer should assess the situation only on the basis of its capabilities.
It should not take into account the capacity of other manufacturers, the amount of product on the market or market demand.
The guidelines also state what specific product or API information manufacturers should report when informing the FDA.
CBS, citing a report from the US Senate, writes that by the end of 2022, the shortage of drugs in the US had reached a five-year peak and affected almost 300 pharmaceutical products.
This is due to the fact that the United States moved production to China, India and other countries.
According to the American Society of Health System Pharmacists, products such as sodium chloride solution, the antibiotic amoxicillin and albuterol inhalation solution are now in short supply.
Nikolay Sokolov
pharmvestnik

Healthcare systems have coped with the shortage by rationing care, delaying or canceling treatments, and switching to alternate drugs.

Title:

Content: As drug shortage list grows, many hospitals face tough decisions on rationing care

More than half of hospital pharmacists are reporting a critical shortage of chemotherapy drugs and nearly all are reporting overall medicine supply gaps as prescription drug shortages near an all time high, according to a new survey.

Hospital pharmacists said drug shortages have forced 1 in 3 health systems to delay, cancel or ration care or switch to alternate drugs to continue to treat patients. And 99% are reporting some drug supply shortages, an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists survey of more than 1,000 pharmacists released Thursday found.

The organization reported shortages of 309 drugs, near the all-time high of 320 shortages in 2014. The scarcity of key drugs is prompting hospitals to find or substitute drugs and change treatment plans as needed.

“In some cases, there are no alternatives to the affected drugs, which puts patients at risk," ASHP Chief Executive Officer Paul W. Abramowitz said in a statement. "This issue requires quick action from Congress to address the underlying causes of shortages and ensure patients have the medications they need.”

Cancer drug shortages

In June, the Food and Drug Administration said it will temporarily allow overseas drug manufacturers to import some chemotherapy drugs.

The FDA allowed Qilu Pharmaceutical, a drug manufacturer in China, to import the injectable chemotherapy drug cisplatin in 50-milligram vials. Toronto pharmaceutical company Apotex Corp. will distribute the medication in the United States.

More than a dozen cancer drugs have been in shortage in recent months, including cisplatin and carboplatin, used to treat lung, breast, prostate and gynecologic cancers. The National Cancer Institute said cisplatin and similar drugs are prescribed for 10% to 20% of all cancer patients.

In June, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network released a survey of 27 academic cancer centers that found 93% reported shortages of carboplatin and 70% faced shortages of cisplatin.

When cancer hospitals face such shortages, they attempt to make sure there's enough medication for patients to finish the course of treatment, said Mike Ganio, ASHP's senior director of pharmacy practice and quality.

Cancer hospitals facing such shortages might change medications for new patients starting on chemotherapy, said Ganio, a former pharmacy manager at an academic cancer center.

"You try to keep that patient on the same regimen as much as you can, unless they're failing it for some reason, and then you would switch," Ganio said.

Steroids, hormonal drugs also in short supply

More than 1 in 5 hospital pharmacists also reported shortages for steroids, hormonal drugs and oral liquids such as lidocaine, ibuprofen and amoxicillin.

A smaller number of pharmacists said heart medications, emergency prefilled syringes and drugs used for intensive care unit patients were in short supply. Others reported shortages of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medicines, antimicrobial drugs and injectable opioids.

In all, about two-thirds of pharmacists said the shortages were "moderately impactful," which means they are managing shortages but patients are affected.

Pharmacists are managing the shortages by offering therapeutic alternatives, buying different vial sizes or concentrations and rationing medicines.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Survey: Drug shortages are widespread, hospitals ration care

Overall, the medication shortage is a complex issue with multiple causes and consequences, requiring a comprehensive approach to address the root causes and ensure patients have access to the medications they need.


Medication shortage is a growing global concern, impacting both developing and developed countries, with reports of shortages of medications and/or medical supplies in hospitals and pharmacies increasing between 2021 and 2024.

The United States has been particularly affected, with the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the University of Utah Drug Information Service reporting a record high of 323 drugs in short supply in the first three months of 2024.

This shortage has been steady since 2021, with the number of affected drugs increasing over time, and is now at an all-time high.

The ASHP has identified the most worrisome shortages as including sterile injectable generic drugs, such as cancer chemotherapy drugs and emergency drugs stored in hospital vans and procedural areas.

In addition to chemotherapy drugs, other categories of drugs with significant shortages include central nervous system stimulants, antimicrobials, hormonal agents, and intravenous fluids.

The reasons behind the shortages are complex and multifaceted, with growing demand, manufacturing and quality problems, supply chain gaps, and downtime all contributing to the crisis.

The FDA has also pointed to production problems, quality problems, and the suspension of production as causes of the shortage.

Furthermore, the lack of transparency in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly with regards to the sourcing of active pharmaceutical ingredients, has made it difficult to predict and prevent shortages.

The impact of the shortages on healthcare systems has been significant, with many hospitals facing tough decisions on rationing care and switching to alternate drugs.

In some cases, there are no alternatives to the affected drugs, which puts patients at risk.

The ASHP has reported that 99% of hospital pharmacists are experiencing some level of drug shortage, with 1 in 3 health systems delaying, canceling, or rationing care as a result.

The FDA has taken steps to address the shortage, including issuing draft guidelines to pharmaceutical manufacturers to prevent the risk of defects and improve reporting of disruptions to the production of drugs and APIs.

The guidelines require manufacturers to notify the FDA of changes in the manufacturing process of drugs, biological products, or active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).

The FDA has also allowed overseas drug manufacturers to import some chemotherapy drugs to help alleviate the shortage.

In response to the crisis, the White House has proposed spending between $3.26 billion and $5.11 billion over the next decade to help address the nation's drug shortage.

The proposal includes measures to increase transparency and diversity in the pharmaceutical supply chain, as well as incentives to encourage the production of generic drugs.

The global shortage of healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, has also exacerbated the crisis, with an estimated 6.4 million doctors missing worldwide.

The shortage of healthcare workers is particularly acute in certain regions, such as South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, where there is a shortage of 2.57 million and 1.92 million doctors, respectively.

Overall, the medication shortage is a complex and multifaceted problem that requires a comprehensive and coordinated response from healthcare systems, governments, and the pharmaceutical industry.

Addressing the shortage will require increased transparency, improved reporting, and incentives to encourage the production of generic drugs, as well as measures to address the global shortage of healthcare workers.

The ASHP has called for Congress to take action to address the root causes of the shortage, including requiring manufacturers to be more transparent about supply chain issues and encouraging diversity in the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Ultimately, resolving the medication shortage will require a sustained and collective effort to ensure that patients have access to the medications they need.

Medication shortage is a growing global concern, impacting both developing and developed countries, with reports of shortages of medications and/or medical supplies in hospitals and pharmacies increasing between 2021 and 2024.

Title:

Content: US supply chain crisis continues, FDA points to 111 drug shortages
Global Social Hotspot 16: 35 2021 / 12 / 05
Share:
The supply chain crisis in the United States continues, and many goods are facing shortages.
The US media said that the US pharmacies have a number of critical prescription drugs in stock. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pointed out that about 111 drugs are out of stock in the United States. The FDA stressed that it will continue to take measures to monitor the supply chain.
【 Omicron variant 】 Travellers must have a negative test within 48 hours for entering the United Kingdom 【 Next 】
The Federal Reserve warned on Wednesday that large parts of the United States had begun to be affected by supply chain disruptions and labor shortages last month.
According to the FDA website, 111 drugs are out of stock in the United States, including the heart disease drug digoxin injection, the chemical drug Dacarbazine and some antibiotics.
The authorities say there are many reasons for the shortage, including production problems, quality problems, drugs and even the suspension of production.
According to the FDA, about 80% of the manufacturers of active pharmaceutical ingredients are located overseas, and the manufacturers have provided the FDA with most of the drug shortage information.
The Administration will also work closely with these manufacturers to address the drug shortage.
【 Omicron variant 】 Study: Omicron carries a cold virus gene or helps avoid the immune system 【 Next 】
Long Island Newspaper Newsday quoted Tom D'Angelo, president of the New York State Association of Pharmacists, as saying the shipping of a large number of medicines, including those for common blood pressure and for the treatment of colds and flu, was blocked.
Because of supply chain problems, the owner of a New York drugstore said there were fewer brands for some drugs, including Ibuprofen.
The National Association of Community Pharmacists (NCPA) released a survey last month that found that most non-chain pharmacies are struggling to fill employee vacancies and cope with supply chain disruptions.
Sixty percent of pharmacies surveyed said they were dealing with supply chain disruptions, and nearly 70 percent said it was difficult to fill staff vacancies.
Stay abreast of the latest development of mutant virus and epidemic vaccine, download the Hong Kong Economic Times App for free now 【 Click here
Editor-in-Chief: Cheng Kam-ling
Follow the latest financial news analysis, like hket Facebook
Subscribe to the Hong Kong Economic Times email newsletter
Receive first-hand financial news Learn more about investment and financial knowledge Submit my consent to receive promotional messages from Hong Kong Economic Times Group. You may also check the privacy policy of this website Terms of Use

The United States has been particularly affected, with the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the University of Utah Drug Information Service reporting a record high of 323 drugs in short supply in the first three months of 2024.

Title:

Content: General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
An Unexpected Catastrophe in the World ’ s Largest Country: The Complete Story of U.S. Drug Shortages
The deficit is at a record level.
According to data from the American Society of Health System Pharmacists and the University of Utah Drug Information Service, organizations began tracking drug shortages for the first time in 2001. Steady since 2021 – now reaching a record high of 323 drugs in the first three months of 2024.
Paul Abramowitz, CEO of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists, wrote in a blog post on Thursday: “It ’ s been a long time to end drug shortages, ” and wrote:“ All drug classes are vulnerable to shortages, some of the most worrisome shortages include sterile injectable generic drugs, including cancer chemotherapy drugs and emergency drugs stored in hospital vans and procedural areas. It is dangerous for doctors and patients. ”
In addition to the 32 chemotherapy drugs that are deficient, the five categories of drugs with the greatest deficiency include central nervous system stimulants, antimicrobials, hormonal agents, and intravenous fluids. [1] The Drug Deficiency Database maintained by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists and the University of Utah is based on voluntary reports from practitioners, patients, and others that have been confirmed by manufacturers. The U.S. drug is in short supply, because it captures broader effects on service providers and patients.
The crisis has lasted a year and a half.
More than half of the treatment shortages have lasted for more than two years, according to an analysis by health consultancy IQVIA, and the average shortage affects at least half a million patients, many of them elderly, according to the US Office of Health and Human Services under the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, which shared its analysis with Congress in May.
Growing demand can play a role in drug shortages, as with the recent shortage of weight-loss drugs, but often manufacturing and quality problems, such as supply chain gaps and downtime, are the root cause. And varied.
But the American Society of Health System Pharmacists has “serious concerns ” about parts of this proposal, especially financial sanctions imposed on hospitals that lack the resources to comply with the recommendations, Abramowitz wrote:“ We all know that managing shortages is not enough and is not a sustainable solution to the worsening crisis, and there is still a lot of work to be done at the federal level to fix the root causes of drug shortages. ”
Why Shortage Occurs
Shortages can be caused by high demand, as with the recent shortage of weight-loss drugs, but this is not usually the main problem.
The FDA also blames manufacturing and quality problems, supply chain gaps, and downtime, and Dr. Emily Tucker, a drug shortage expert and an assistant professor of industrial engineering at Clemson University, says that when there is an indication of shortages, large health systems often also proactively place large orders, adding to the system ’ s stress.
“I don ’ t blame anyone.
“When I talk to all the stakeholders – whether it ’ s wholesalers, manufacturers, or the government – everyone wants this problem to end, ” she said.
Lack of transparency
Dr. Julie Grallo, chief medical officer and executive vice president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, told the House Committee earlier that the shortage puts providers in a terrible position: “The drug shortage crisis is forcing providers to make impossible choices, and it is also hindering the development of new drugs. Health drugs are purchased only on a price basis, and manufacturers do not have to disclose the source of their acquisition of the ingredients.
The shortage of this generic chemical drug came due to the closure of one factory in India that manufactures the active ingredient after a surprise FDA inspection found “significant quality issues, ” says Jarallo:“ We didn ’ t know, and there was no transparency regarding the company ’ s supply of the majority of active pharmaceutical ingredients to all manufacturers across the board.
Knowing this in advance, we could have responded much faster, ” Dr. Steven Schundlemeyer, director of the PRIME Institute of the University of Minnesota School of Pharmacy, which focuses on economic and management issues, told the committee that as with defense contractors in the United States, New Zealand requires manufacturers to disclose their suppliers, and that information is required.
Easily accessible in the database.
Related Topics

This shortage has been steady since 2021, with the number of affected drugs increasing over time, and is now at an all-time high.

The ASHP has identified the most worrisome shortages as including sterile injectable generic drugs, such as cancer chemotherapy drugs and emergency drugs stored in hospital vans and procedural areas.

In addition to chemotherapy drugs, other categories of drugs with significant shortages include central nervous system stimulants, antimicrobials, hormonal agents, and intravenous fluids.

The reasons behind the shortages are complex and multifaceted, with growing demand, manufacturing and quality problems, supply chain gaps, and downtime all contributing to the crisis.

The FDA has also pointed to production problems, quality problems, and the suspension of production as causes of the shortage.

Furthermore, the lack of transparency in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly with regards to the sourcing of active pharmaceutical ingredients, has made it difficult to predict and prevent shortages.

Title:

Content: French health groups put forward proposals to limit the damage of worsening drug shortages

Medicines such as cough syrup, lozenges and ointment are seen on a table in an apartment in Berlin, Tuesday, December 20, 2022. Copyright Stephanie Pilick/dpa via AP
Copyright Stephanie Pilick/dpa via AP
By Lauren Chadwick
Share this articleComments
Share this article

Pharmaceutical companies’ lack of transparency leads to rising drug prices and less control over public resources, the group of health organisations say.

ADVERTISEMENT

A group of French organisations have called for more transparency from pharmaceutical companies as drug shortages increase.

In a joint report, 14 civil society organisations outlined their recommendations to solve a “situation that has only worsened” since 2018.

The French medicines regulator signalled 4,925 drug shortages in 2023, compared to 3,761 in 2022 and 2,160 in 2021.

A 2024 survey from France Assos Santé, which represents patients, found that 44 per cent of people in France said they had faced a drug shortage this year.

One of the pharmacy unions in France has even planned a strike at the end of the month over drug shortages and what they say is worsening access to care.

Each health organisation contributed an article with recommendations for dealing with the drug shortages.

The League Against Cancer urged complete transparency on drug shortages and potential substitutions for health professionals.

They also called for monitoring of medicine stocks and their location in the country to guarantee equal access.

The organisation found in a survey published in February that 78 per cent of health professionals in oncology had been faced with a drug shortage.

Drug shortages or delays have led to anxiety among cancer patients, lost time, and worsening symptoms, the organisation said.

France Assos Santé, meanwhile, wrote that an urgent response should not be to support “the industrial sector which bears serious responsibilities” for abandoning the production of less profitable drugs, relocating drug production, and keeping insufficient medicine stocks.

They would like any cost increases justified by production costs or the risk of withdrawing a drug from the market due to it being unprofitable. They called for cost evaluations to be made public.

Their concerns also range from the use of public money to bring drug production to Europe to new government plans to prevent shortages.

Some changes at the EU level criticised

Last year, the European Commission announced several measures to reform the pharmaceutical industry and address critical drug shortages.

The European Parliament went on to adopt a position on pharmaceutical reform last month, that included “incentives for innovation” and an effort to limit overuse of antibiotics.

The non-profit organisation Prescrire, which focuses on information about medicine, wrote in a chapter they contributed to the report that while some of the European Commission’s measures were welcome, others were concerning.

One of the many measures they rejected included the Commission’s proposal to reduce the number of days of scientific evaluation of drugs from 210 to 180, which they said was necessary time rather than an “administrative obstacle”.

While the NGO welcomed some measures such as government drug shortage prevention plans, it said the Commission should allow EU states to require pharmaceutical companies to have safety stocks of medicine and sanction those that do not respect them.

ADVERTISEMENT

French consumer organisation UFC-Que Choisir and the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) said that they had hoped MEPs would shorten the length of time for “data protection” to allow generic medicines to be marketed more quickly.

Instead, MEPs approved shortening the period to 7.5 years, “which is almost the same duration as the current 8 years [yet] within the framework of the text adopted by Parliament, companies can gain additional months of protection under certain conditions to reach a total of 8.5 years,” UFC-Que Choisir said.

Share this articleComments

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The impact of the shortages on healthcare systems has been significant, with many hospitals facing tough decisions on rationing care and switching to alternate drugs.

Title:

Content: As drug shortage list grows, many hospitals face tough decisions on rationing care

More than half of hospital pharmacists are reporting a critical shortage of chemotherapy drugs and nearly all are reporting overall medicine supply gaps as prescription drug shortages near an all time high, according to a new survey.

Hospital pharmacists said drug shortages have forced 1 in 3 health systems to delay, cancel or ration care or switch to alternate drugs to continue to treat patients. And 99% are reporting some drug supply shortages, an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists survey of more than 1,000 pharmacists released Thursday found.

The organization reported shortages of 309 drugs, near the all-time high of 320 shortages in 2014. The scarcity of key drugs is prompting hospitals to find or substitute drugs and change treatment plans as needed.

“In some cases, there are no alternatives to the affected drugs, which puts patients at risk," ASHP Chief Executive Officer Paul W. Abramowitz said in a statement. "This issue requires quick action from Congress to address the underlying causes of shortages and ensure patients have the medications they need.”

Cancer drug shortages

In June, the Food and Drug Administration said it will temporarily allow overseas drug manufacturers to import some chemotherapy drugs.

The FDA allowed Qilu Pharmaceutical, a drug manufacturer in China, to import the injectable chemotherapy drug cisplatin in 50-milligram vials. Toronto pharmaceutical company Apotex Corp. will distribute the medication in the United States.

More than a dozen cancer drugs have been in shortage in recent months, including cisplatin and carboplatin, used to treat lung, breast, prostate and gynecologic cancers. The National Cancer Institute said cisplatin and similar drugs are prescribed for 10% to 20% of all cancer patients.

In June, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network released a survey of 27 academic cancer centers that found 93% reported shortages of carboplatin and 70% faced shortages of cisplatin.

When cancer hospitals face such shortages, they attempt to make sure there's enough medication for patients to finish the course of treatment, said Mike Ganio, ASHP's senior director of pharmacy practice and quality.

Cancer hospitals facing such shortages might change medications for new patients starting on chemotherapy, said Ganio, a former pharmacy manager at an academic cancer center.

"You try to keep that patient on the same regimen as much as you can, unless they're failing it for some reason, and then you would switch," Ganio said.

Steroids, hormonal drugs also in short supply

More than 1 in 5 hospital pharmacists also reported shortages for steroids, hormonal drugs and oral liquids such as lidocaine, ibuprofen and amoxicillin.

A smaller number of pharmacists said heart medications, emergency prefilled syringes and drugs used for intensive care unit patients were in short supply. Others reported shortages of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medicines, antimicrobial drugs and injectable opioids.

In all, about two-thirds of pharmacists said the shortages were "moderately impactful," which means they are managing shortages but patients are affected.

Pharmacists are managing the shortages by offering therapeutic alternatives, buying different vial sizes or concentrations and rationing medicines.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Survey: Drug shortages are widespread, hospitals ration care

In some cases, there are no alternatives to the affected drugs, which puts patients at risk.

The ASHP has reported that 99% of hospital pharmacists are experiencing some level of drug shortage, with 1 in 3 health systems delaying, canceling, or rationing care as a result.

The FDA has taken steps to address the shortage, including issuing draft guidelines to pharmaceutical manufacturers to prevent the risk of defects and improve reporting of disruptions to the production of drugs and APIs.

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Content: FDA gave instructions to pharmaceutical manufacturers to prevent the risk of defects
The FDA has released a draft guideline that will allow pharmaceutical manufacturers to more accurately report disruptions to the production of drugs and APIs.
In particular, it specifies who should contact the regulator in case of a failure in production and on which products it is necessary to transmit information.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued draft guidelines to pharmaceutical manufacturers to prevent the risk of flaw.
According to the instructions, they will notify the agency of changes in the manufacturing process of drugs, biological products or active pharmaceutical ingredients (API).
In the United States, FD & C. It requires manufacturers to notify the agency of interruptions in the supply of products or APIs.
The FDA ’ s new guidelines provide clarifications.
Manufacturers must submit a notice to the FDA at least six months before stopping drug production, which could lead to their shortages on the market.
If it is not possible to notify the agency six months in advance, it should be done “as soon as possible ”.
If interruptions in production may affect the supply situation, the manufacturer should assess the situation only on the basis of its capabilities.
It should not take into account the capacity of other manufacturers, the amount of product on the market or market demand.
The guidelines also state what specific product or API information manufacturers should report when informing the FDA.
CBS, citing a report from the US Senate, writes that by the end of 2022, the shortage of drugs in the US had reached a five-year peak and affected almost 300 pharmaceutical products.
This is due to the fact that the United States moved production to China, India and other countries.
According to the American Society of Health System Pharmacists, products such as sodium chloride solution, the antibiotic amoxicillin and albuterol inhalation solution are now in short supply.
Nikolay Sokolov
pharmvestnik

The guidelines require manufacturers to notify the FDA of changes in the manufacturing process of drugs, biological products, or active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).

The FDA has also allowed overseas drug manufacturers to import some chemotherapy drugs to help alleviate the shortage.

In response to the crisis, the White House has proposed spending between $3.26 billion and $5.11 billion over the next decade to help address the nation's drug shortage.

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Content: Meitu
The first quarter of the United States serious drug shortage 323 drugs urgent cancer patients also have to be diverted and rationed!
CHU HENG NETWORK NEWS CENTER 2024-04-16 10: 42
According to the latest data from the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the Utah Center for Drug Information Services, a total of 323 drugs in the United States were in severe shortages in the first quarter of this year, surpassing the record of 320 in 2014.
Among the drugs affected are the widely used diabetes drugs Ozempic and Mounjaro, the allergy treatment drug adrenaline, the common antibiotic amoxicillin for children, chemotherapy drugs and injections commonly used in hospitals in intensive care.
ASHP CEO Paul Abramowitz said in a statement that almost all categories of drugs are facing shortages, with non-patented sterile injectable drugs, including cancer chemotherapy drugs, and emergency drugs stored in hospital emergency vans and operating areas, the shortage of such drugs is the most worrying.
According to the American Cancer Society, chemotherapy is one of the top five drugs most affected by the shortage, which threatens to have a devastating impact on patients, and some hospitals and clinics say doctors have had to divert patients to ration their medications because of a shortage of some chemotherapy drugs.
In addition, ASHP noted that the continued nationwide shortage of ADHD drugs is “a problem for clinicians and patients. ”
The shortage of popular drugs is even more acute, with Mounjaro, the diabetes drug known as the “slimming pill ”, already in dire straits.
In response, Lilly said that the “unprecedented surge in demand ” for Mounjaro and its similar drug Zepbound has led to a shortage in the market, which the company is struggling to cope with.
Lilly is ramping up investments to boost production at Mounjaro and Zepbound in the second half of 2024.
The company said it expects intermittent supply disruptions in the near term due to unprecedented demand.
How to cure the drug shortage
The last major “drug shortage ” in U.S. history occurred in 2014, and it has only been alleviated in the years since.
Since 2021, the drug shortage situation seems to be increasing, and scholars in the field of medical health and economics in the United States believe that the reason for most drug shortages in the United States is the fragmentation of the drug supply chain.
The White House this month proposed spending between $3.26 billion and $5.11 billion over the next decade to help address the nation ’ s drug shortage.
The bill requires approval and funding from the U.S. Congress.
U.S. researchers and policymakers believe that a complete solution to the “drug shortage ” may require changes to the business model of the U.S. pharmaceutical industry, including measures to increase the price of generic drugs to attract more drug manufacturers.
Policymakers recommend giving the FDA more power to access more information about drug shortages and impending shortages.
Currently, the FDA relies primarily on phone calls to manufacturers asking if they can increase their supply to understand the situation.
The American Society of Health System Pharmacists said it is working with the federal government to advise the government on measures to address the drug shortage, including that Congress should require manufacturers to be more transparent on any supply chain issues and encourage more diversity in supply chains.
According to Abramowitz, “The federal government still has a lot of work to do to fundamentally address drug shortages, and the American Society of Health System Pharmacists will continue to engage regularly with policymakers to guide them in drafting and passing new legislation to address drug shortages and continue to advocate vigorously for proven solutions on behalf of our members. ”

The proposal includes measures to increase transparency and diversity in the pharmaceutical supply chain, as well as incentives to encourage the production of generic drugs.

The global shortage of healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, has also exacerbated the crisis, with an estimated 6.4 million doctors missing worldwide.

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Content: A global study by The Lancet found that there are about 6.4 million doctors missing in the world.
To date, more than 12.8 million specialists with a medical diploma work in the field of health care, but much more is needed.
Staffing capacity
The study, titled “Measuring human resource affordability for health and its relationship to universal health coverage for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study, ” was published May 23 in The Lancet.
The authors studied the number of doctors, nurses and midwives, dental and pharmaceutical staff and found that as of 2019, there were shortages of doctors in 132 countries.
Globally, there are more than 43 million health workers missing when we compare the current level of coverage with the targets needed to achieve universal health coverage.
“This is the most comprehensive and comprehensive assessment to date of the global health workforce.
Adequate numbers of health workers are necessary for the normal functioning of health systems, so it is important to own such data so that countries can make informed decisions and plan for the future, ” said the study ’ s senior author, director of health organization at the Institute of Health Metrics and Assessment (IHME) at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Dr. Rafael Lozano.
As of 2019, there were 104 million healthcare workers worldwide, including 12.8 million doctors, 29.8 million nurses and midwives, 4.6 million dental workers, and 5.2 million pharmacists and pharmacists.
The study revealed more than a tenfold difference in the availability of health workers across regions and between countries.
The greatest shortage of doctors is in South Asia, where there is a shortage of 2.57 million doctors; in sub-Saharan Africa, there is a shortage of about 1.92 million doctors, in Southeast Asia, East Asia and Oceania - 995,000, in North Africa and the Middle East - 636,000 doctors.
On average, there are 16.7 doctors per 10,000 people in the world.
Density ranges from 2.9 physicians per 10,000 population in sub-Saharan Africa to 38.3 per 10,000 in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Cuba unexpectedly stands out among other countries with an indicator of 84.4 doctors per 10 thousand people (for comparison: 2.1 doctors per 10 thousand in Haiti).
The availability of health workers in general is closely related to the level of social and economic development of the region, the authors of the study noted.
Health standards
“There are various strategies and policy approaches that can help address staffing shortages, and they need to be tailored to the individual situation in each country.
We hope that these assessments can be used to prioritize policy actions and inform future planning.
Achieving high levels of effective health coverage requires a significant increase in the number of health workers worldwide, ” the press release said.
Experts assessed staffing based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the WHO Health Personnel 2030 strategy.
The authors of the study called on the leaders of countries to pay attention to the problem of shortage of medical workers and to develop comprehensive programs to solve it
Overall, experts estimate that an additional 6.4 million doctors, 30.6 million nurses, 3.3 million dentists and 2.9 million pharmacists and pharmacists are required to reach the minimum thresholds.
“We do not consider these minimum thresholds mandatory, rather desirable.
We propose to use them as guidelines, and then the program developers in each country should take into account their own situation and their own experience.
In some places, the healthcare system works better with fewer staff, and in some places worse with more staff.
The threshold is a convenient and innovative metric for determining gaps, but it should be remembered that this is not only a matter of quantity, but also of quality, ” the study says.
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Padtrymats “People ’ s Will ”

The shortage of healthcare workers is particularly acute in certain regions, such as South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, where there is a shortage of 2.57 million and 1.92 million doctors, respectively.

Overall, the medication shortage is a complex and multifaceted problem that requires a comprehensive and coordinated response from healthcare systems, governments, and the pharmaceutical industry.

Addressing the shortage will require increased transparency, improved reporting, and incentives to encourage the production of generic drugs, as well as measures to address the global shortage of healthcare workers.

The ASHP has called for Congress to take action to address the root causes of the shortage, including requiring manufacturers to be more transparent about supply chain issues and encouraging diversity in the pharmaceutical supply chain.

Ultimately, resolving the medication shortage will require a sustained and collective effort to ensure that patients have access to the medications they need.