The history of LiveJournal is a fascinating story of how a personal journaling application transformed into a popular blogging platform.

LiveJournal was created by Brad Fitzpatrick in 1999 as a way for him to keep a journal and share his thoughts with friends.

At its peak, LiveJournal had more than 2.5 million active accounts, but its popularity declined over the years, and by 2005, it had already reached its peak.

The platform was different from other blogging sites because it allowed users to create communities and share their thoughts with others who had similar interests.

LiveJournal also had a unique feature called "friends," which allowed users to connect with others and see their posts in a single feed.

This feature made it easy for users to discover new content and connect with like-minded individuals.

In the early 2000s, LiveJournal became a popular platform for bloggers, especially in the English-speaking world.

However, as other social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter emerged, LiveJournal's popularity began to decline.

By 2010, many English-speaking users had abandoned the platform, and it was mostly used by Russian-speaking users.

Despite its decline in popularity, LiveJournal still maintained a loyal user base, including author George R. R. Martin, who continued to use the platform to connect with his fans.

In 2005, LiveJournal was sold to Six Apart, a company that owned another popular blogging platform called Movable Type.

The acquisition led to some changes in the platform, including the introduction of new features and a redesigned user interface.

However, the changes did not help to reverse the decline in popularity, and LiveJournal continued to lose users to other social media platforms.

In 2007, LiveJournal was sold again, this time to SUP Media, a Russian company that owned several other online properties.

The acquisition led to some controversy, as some users were concerned about the platform's new ownership and the potential for censorship.

Despite the concerns, LiveJournal continued to operate,! and it remained a popular platform for Russian-speaking users.

In 2012, LiveJournal launched a new version of its platform, which included a redesigned user interface and new features.

The update was intended to make the platform more competitive with other social media sites, but it did not lead to a significant increase in users.

Today, LiveJournal is still operational, but it is no longer the popular platform it once was.

It has been surpassed by other social media sites, and its user base has declined significantly.

However, it still maintains a loyal user base, and it remains an important part of the history of blogging and social media.

The story of LiveJournal serves as a reminder of how quickly the online landscape can change and how important it is for platforms to adapt to changing user behaviors and preferences.

In conclusion, LiveJournal's history is a fascinating story of how a personal journaling application transformed into a popular blogging platform, and its decline serves as a reminder of the importance of adapting to changing user behaviors and preferences.

The history of LiveJournal is a fascinating story of how a personal journaling application transformed into a popular blogging platform.

LiveJournal was created by Brad Fitzpatrick in 1999 as a way for him to keep a journal and share his thoughts with friends.

Title:

Content: Regulators Seem to Think That Facebook Is the Internet

That’s a problem.

In 1997, SixDegrees.com was the first real attempt at social networking, creating a space where users could upload their information and list their friends. The site peaked at approximately 3.5 million users before it shut down in 1999.

Since then, a series of social networking business models have emerged, each time offering more advanced tools for user interaction. LiveJournal, a site for keeping up with school friends, combined blogging and social networking features inspired by the WELL; Friendster was a social network that allowed for increased interaction and control by users; Myspace had open membership and gave users the freedom to customize their pages. In 2005, it—and its 25 million user base—was sold to News Corp. But within three years, Myspace had been surpassed by Facebook, which launched in 2004 for college students and opened to everyone in 2006.

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As that history shows, in the early days of the internet, disruption was profound and constant: New companies emerged in music, video, e-commerce, publishing, and telephony on an almost yearly basis. The internet appeared to be a space where competition could thrive.

Not anymore.

Today, disruption happens in much smaller ways. The examples are getting fewer because economies of scale have concentrated innovation in the hands of a few players.

More often, disruption comes from regulation—for better or, often, for worse. Current regulation attempts focus on the actions and behavior of some actors—chiefly Facebook—while creating unintended consequences for the internet, particularly fragmentation, or the splintering of the global internet into one that more closely hews territorial borders.

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It’s understandable that both the public and regulators might think that regulating “the internet” means focusing on the biggest players. Much of it has to do with the fact that users are often exposed to various types of illegal behavior and content through some of the most popular services that exist on the internet. Fix misinformation, or extremism, or ideological silos, or security on Facebook, the thinking goes, and you’ve fixed it on the internet as a whole.

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But this is an unhelpful and misguided narrative. First, the internet is not a monolith, so treating it as if it is simply will not work. Second, many of the issues regulators are trying to address are not internet problems; they are societal. Terrorism, child abuse, and mis- and disinformation are not an offspring of the internet; they existed before the internet, and they will continue to exist after it as they are ingrained in human societies. Yet, they are treated as if they are exclusively internet problems. Third, and most importantly, regulators should stop thinking of the internet as Facebook and treating it as such. In the internet regulatory landscape, there is a mixed bag of different issues, and Facebook’s involvement in all of them, direct or indirect, adds to the current complexity. Content moderation, privacy, intermediary liability, competition, encryption—these are all broader issues related to the internet, not just Facebook. Yet, the pattern that has emerged is to treat them as Facebook issues. What this means is that, instead of focusing on trying to address them in ways appropriate for the entire internet ecosystem, they are addressed through the Facebook lens. This has been quite accurately characterized as the “Facebook Derangement Syndrome.”

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The global regulatory agenda is replete with such examples. In the United Kingdom, the Online Safety legislation wants to ban end-to-end encryption because of Facebook’s plan to introduce it as a default setting in its Messenger service. On the other side of the Commonwealth, Australia recently introduced a media bargaining code mainly targeting Facebook. Facebook famously “left” the country before renegotiating a new agreement. Similarly, in what seems to be a coordinated effort, Canada has vowed to work with Australia in an attempt to impose regulatory restrictions on Facebook.

And this trend is not limited to the Commonwealth.

India’s new intermediary guidelines aim at tightening a regulatory grip on Facebook and its partner company WhatsApp while Brazil’s fake news bill, which got approved by the Senate, is focusing on content moderation on Facebook and traceability on WhatsApp. In France, there have been conversations about the introduction of “new rules” for Facebook, while Germany’s Network Enforcement Law—NetzDG—was drafted with the primary focus of taming Facebook. Finally, in the United States, the Trump administration issued an unsuccessful executive order that aimed to regulate Facebook for bias.

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This approach of limiting regulation to Facebook is not entirely unusual. It reflects the principal-agent conundrum that, over the years, has allowed companies like Facebook to  propose policies and deploy tools that can have an impact on the way regulation gets to be enforced. The principal-agent problem is predominantly characterized by conflict of interest and moral hazards. Due to information asymmetries, the agent holds the bargaining power, and this creates a few unknowns: The principal is in no position to know the information the agent holds. Even when she does, she cannot be certain that the agent is acting to her best interest. So, the principal ends up focusing squarely on the agent, disregarding any peripheral issues that might be significant.

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The principal-agent problem may help explain why governments appear ready to introduce regulation targeting Facebook; however, it does not help explain why, in the process of doing so, the main loser is the internet and its users.

Over the past couple of years, Facebook has said, “We support regulation,” and “we want updated internet regulations to set clear guidelines for addressing today’s toughest challenges.” This statement would be significant if it did not come across as self-serving. At this stage, regulation is inescapable and Facebook knows it—as does the rest of big tech. In an effort to adapt to this new reality, companies often take advantage of their dominant position to drive regulatory processes, often at the expense of regulation itself.

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In this context, the question we should be asking is not whether regulation is appropriate, but what are the real implications of regulating in such a manner? There is already an argument that focusing on a few, big players has an impact on the health of innovation and the ability of newcomers to compete. And, then, there is the internet. The internet’s global reach is one of its main strengths. It is a feature, not a bug. Among other things, it allows the maintenance of supply chains all over the world; it allows people to communicate; it lowers costs; and it makes information sharing easier, all the while helping to address societal issues like poverty or climate change.

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To this end, the attempt to regulate based on one—or a handful—of companies can jeopardize this very important goal of the internet. It can create fragmentation, in the sense of not allowing data to flow across borders or networks to interconnect, and this can be very real and have a very big impact. It can impose limits on the way information and data gets to be shared and the way networks may interoperate. These are significant trade-offs, and they must be part of any regulation’s process.

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So where do we go from here?

For sure, the answer cannot be to stop regulating. We must accept, however, that the current approach often generates unintended consequences that only superficially affect those who must be regulated.

In this light, a possible way forward is to experiment with regulation. Experimental regulation is a relatively underused approach, yet it is flexible enough to accommodate dynamic markets, like the internet. Originally associated with the work of John Dewey, this idea is premised on the fact that, in policymaking, the way we approach theories and strategies of justice depends on “the experience of their pursuit; it is these changes that then allow us to consider how best to achieve our objectives.” The advantage of this thinking is that it considers unintended consequences as an opportunity to better define appropriate regulatory frameworks and how to achieve the desired goals.

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Internet regulation does not experiment enough, and when it does, it appears to have the wrong focus. In Australia, for instance, the effort to ensure robust journalism in an age of disinformation in social media platforms led to a “link tax” that undermines the architecture, history, and economics of the internet. This is partly due to the role big tech companies play in the regulatory process. One of the immediate things one can observe with internet regulation is the process some actors deploy: In the beginning, they operate in favor of sustaining existing policies and bureaucracies. The thinking is that longevity brings legitimacy, and as a result, the policy becomes its own cause. Once this strategy is embedded in process, these powerful forces move toward pushing their own regulatory agenda.

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It is for this reason that there is a certain appeal toward flexible regulatory systems that allow different units to experiment with different approaches and make room for assessments that separate the relevant from the nonrelevant and preexisting rules. Although experimentation neither offers a drastic approach nor aims to replace traditional routes of regulation, it can limit the risks of politicization, as politics become more context focused.

One of the first things we need is an internet impact assessment that looks at the different parts of the internet’s infrastructure and the effect that regulation may have. It is no longer just about regulating a few actors. It is about protecting the global infrastructure that we all depend on daily.

The internet has a Facebook problem, but the internet is not Facebook.

This article represents the views of the author and not those of his employer, the Internet Society. Facebook is an organization member of the Internet Society.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.

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At its peak, LiveJournal had more than 2.5 million active accounts, but its popularity declined over the years, and by 2005, it had already reached its peak.

Title:

Content: ADVERTISEMENT

Visva-Bharati refutes allegations against Vice-Chancellor, says he’s restoring old glory

October 13, 2023 07:18 am | Updated 07:19 am IST - KOLKATA

Two letters sent to PM Narendra Modi — one from local traders and another from a teachers’ union — asked him not to extend Prof. Bidyut Chakrabarty’s tenure, which ends early next month

Visva-Bharati on October 12 reacted strongly to the letters written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Santiniketan against its Vice-Chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty by stating that his detractors were “spreading shamelessly fabricated inputs”.

Two letters were written to Mr. Modi — one from local traders and artisans and another from a teachers’ union — asking him not to extend Prof. Chakrabarty’s tenure, which ends early next month, saying he had taken decisions that had harmed the lives and livelihoods of the common people of Santiniketan.

“Visva-Bharati is being brought back to its earlier glory as an institution of higher learning guided by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s transcendental socio-cultural and politico-ideological priorities. The detractors who survive on incomes from Visva-Bharati have suddenly become active because they apprehend that their days of exploitation of this serene academic centre are numbered. Hence, they are spreading shamelessly fabricated inputs to further expose that they are cornered,” the central institute said in a press release.

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“As the very negligible numbers of detractors seek to score brownie points by being involved in harakiri, it is incumbent on those who are committed to sustain and also expand Visva-Bharati’s glory as a centre for generation and dissemination of knowledge to put on record [certain] undiluted facts,” it said.

According to the release, Visva-Bharati did not stop the Poush Mela as being claimed but that it was discontinued with the intervention of the Calcutta High Court. Similarly, the Vasanta Utsav was also not stopped but instead converted into a “peaceful” event called Vasanta Vandana.

“Visva-Bharati has not discontinued any of the events which are part and parcel of its philosophy. Barring a few deviants, Visva-Bharati’s staff, students and well-wishers work day and night to govern the institution as per Gurudev Tagore’s ideas and also the guidance from the (Education) Ministry and other government agencies responsible for running Central Universities in the country,” the press release said.

Remarks on state government

“Of all the Central universities in the country, Visva-Bharati is the only university which succeeded in appointing 405 employees and it has completed the first phase of appointing another 315 employees... So, there will altogether be 720 new employees in the campus. For the first time, the National Testing Agency was involved in the recruitment processes to avoid corruption in appointment. This is a rare feat especially in West Bengal where many of the top functionaries of the State Government are behind bars for their involvement in job scam,” the university said.

Regarding the drop in its National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranking, Visva-Bharati said it was primarily due to “the lack of adequate academic work of those earning livelihood out of monthly salary from Visva-Bharati.” “None of the faculty members has patents which is largely responsible for this decline because on that count. Out of 25 points, Visva-Bharati got a zero,” the release said.

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The platform was different from other blogging sites because it allowed users to create communities and share their thoughts with others who had similar interests.

LiveJournal also had a unique feature called "friends," which allowed users to connect with others and see their posts in a single feed.

This feature made it easy for users to discover new content and connect with like-minded individuals.

In the early 2000s, LiveJournal became a popular platform for bloggers, especially in the English-speaking world.

However, as other social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter emerged, LiveJournal's popularity began to decline.

By 2010, many English-speaking users had abandoned the platform, and it was mostly used by Russian-speaking users.

Despite its decline in popularity, LiveJournal still maintained a loyal user base, including author George R. R. Martin, who continued to use the platform to connect with his fans.

In 2005, LiveJournal was sold to Six Apart, a company that owned another popular blogging platform called Movable Type.

The acquisition led to some changes in the platform, including the introduction of new features and a redesigned user interface.

However, the changes did not help to reverse the decline in popularity, and LiveJournal continued to lose users to other social media platforms.

In 2007, LiveJournal was sold again, this time to SUP Media, a Russian company that owned several other online properties.

The acquisition led to some controversy, as some users were concerned about the platform's new ownership and the potential for censorship.

Despite the concerns, LiveJournal continued to operate,! and it remained a popular platform for Russian-speaking users.

After Russian users could no longer use foreign social networks, where did they post their blogs?

In 2012, LiveJournal launched a new version of its platform, which included a redesigned user interface and new features.

The update was intended to make the platform more competitive with other social media sites, but it did not lead to a significant increase in users.

Today, LiveJournal is still operational, but it is no longer the popular platform it once was.

It has been surpassed by other social media sites, and its user base has declined significantly.

However, it still maintains a loyal user base, and it remains an important part of the history of blogging and social media.

The story of LiveJournal serves as a reminder of how quickly the online landscape can change and how important it is for platforms to adapt to changing user behaviors and preferences.

In conclusion, LiveJournal's history is a fascinating story of how a personal journaling application transformed into a popular blogging platform, and its decline serves as a reminder of the importance of adapting to changing user behaviors and preferences.


Medication shortage is a growing global concern, impacting both developing and developed countries, with over 309 drugs reported to be in shortage in the United States alone.

The shortage of medications has forced hospitals to delay, cancel, or ration care, with 99% of hospital pharmacists reporting some drug supply shortages.

The reasons behind the shortages are multifactorial, including shortage of raw materials, manufacturing difficulties, and industry consolidations.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration has allowed overseas drug manufacturers to import some chemotherapy drugs to address the shortage.

The shortage of medications has also affected other countries, such as Ireland, where a shortage of paracetamol was reported, and England, where a national shortage of intravenous paracetamol was reported [4].

According to a report, the global shortage of medications has increased by 30% since 2021, with an average shortage lasting around 18 months.

The shortage of medications has significant implications for patient care, with some hospitals being forced to use alternative treatments or delay care.

A global study found that there is a shortage of 6.4 million doctors worldwide, with the largest shortage being in South Asia, where there is a shortage of 2.57 million doctors.

The study also found that the density of doctors varies greatly between regions, with an average of 16.7 doctors per 10,000 population worldwide.

Overall, the medication shortage is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach to address, including increasing the supply of medications, improving manufacturing efficiency, and developing alternative treatments.

Medication shortage is a growing global concern, impacting both developing and developed countries, with over 309 drugs reported to be in shortage in the United States alone.

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 shortage of medications has forced hospitals to delay, cancel, or ration care, with 99% of hospital pharmacists reporting some drug supply shortages.

The reasons behind the shortages are multifactorial, including shortage of raw materials, manufacturing difficulties, and industry consolidations.

Title:

Content: Ireland has been suffering a paracetamol shortage as cases of Covid-19 and the winter flu in the country soared over the festive and new year period.

The revelation was made by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly after his department received notification of a supply issue from the Health Products Regulatory Authority.

It is understood the shortage impacted some prescription paracetamol products.

Read More:Irish people complain of ‘worst ever’ winter bug sweeping country that feels like Covid but isn’t

Two suppliers affected have stated that resupply will be sometime in January 2023.

However, there are other prescription paracetamol suppliers with some stock available on the shelves.

Paracetamol is one of the medicines used most often in Ireland and especially for the flu, aches and pain.

But Mr Donnelly pointed out that there are multiple forms of the drug with different strengths and brands available from various sources.

He said: "In the event that there are some supply issues for individual medicines, alternative options such as alternative strengths and brands, generic medicines will usually be available to ensure continuity of treatment.

"In some cases where the medicine initially prescribed for the patient is unavailable, patients may be switched to a suitable therapeutic alternative following appropriate consultation with a healthcare professional."

The Health Minister said medicine shortages have been increasingly prevalent worldwide over the past decade. The causes of such shortages are multifactorial including shortage of raw materials, manufacturing difficulties and industry consolidations.

He stated: "Medicine shortages can originate at any point in the supply chain. They can involve and impact many stakeholders in different ways as the supply models and clinical use of therapies can vary across national health systems.

"Management of medicines shortages necessitates a multi-faceted, multi stakeholder response to ensure patient safety , continuity of care and protection of public health.

"Patients or their carers who have any concerns in relation to temporary alternative products provided because of medical shortages are advised to speak with their pharmacist or other healthcare [professionals] involved in their care."

Mr Donnelly was responding to a number of written Dail questions on the shortage of medicines.

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In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration has allowed overseas drug manufacturers to import some chemotherapy drugs to address the shortage.

The shortage of medications has also affected other countries, such as Ireland, where a shortage of paracetamol was reported, and England, where a national shortage of intravenous paracetamol was reported [4].

Title:

Content: Hospitals spanning England face critically low levels of intravenous paracetamol - as a national shortage of the popular painkiller runs on. Paracetamol administered via an IV is the safest and most effective drug to give patients who are in post-operation pain - but staff at one hospital trust in particular have been told to pull the plug on the drug from anaesthetic rooms immediately.

The shortage of IV paracetamol is expected to run into November at earliest, with a Department for Health and Social Care spokesman blaming 'capacity constraints with a manufacturer' as the cause. One hospital worker detailed how deeply worried they were at the shortage - citing how it is much more effective than the orally consumed version.

They said: "It is deeply worrying. We use IV paracetamol because tablets taken orally are only 30% effective. Given by IV it is a potent and direct drug and it restricts pain very quickly."

Read more: Doctor warns that silent pandemic 'scarier' than Covid-19 is already killing a million a year

It is reported by The Mirror that they went on: "The alternatives are oral morphine, which is very slow-acting, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen and aspirin, which can have negative side effects such as bleeding and allergic reactions."

Drug shortages have become a global problem, worsened by the recent Covid pandemic, the ongoing war in Ukraine, the energy crisis and record levels of inflation. Last winter, France completely culled the internet sales of paracetamol products in a widespread shortage blamed on a Chinese export ban on raw materials.

In Great Britain meanwhile, it is Brexit which is primarily blamed for making matters worse. This is because drug imports from the EU - which historically make up two thirds of the National Health Service's supply - are at their lowest ever levels since leaving.

The health department’s spokesman, said: "Guidance has been issued to the NHS advising on how to manage the issue and we are working with those in the supply chain to resolve this as soon as possible."

Labour’s shadow health minister, Liz Kendall, said: "Concerned staff and patients will understandably be seeking reassurance that the pain relief they need is available. The Government must spell out the urgent steps being taken to resolve the shortage."

It comes after a Covid Inquiry heard that a lack of nurses left the NHS and Great Britain vulnerable to the pandemic - with the infection control lead at the Royal College of Nursing telling of a national shortage of PPE due to a lack of planning for an airborne virus.

Rosemary Gallagher, the RCN’s professional lead for infection prevention and control, explained: "The resilience of the health and care workforce is absolutely essential in order to be able to deliver health care services that meet the public's needs. We know that we went into the pandemic with a significant shortage, about 50,000 nurses short.

"That immediately put us at risk when we needed to surge capacity to support patients at home and in hospitals."

The intervention came the same day that a damning international study warned that Britain has fewer nurses than other developed nations.

According to a report, the global shortage of medications has increased by 30% since 2021, with an average shortage lasting around 18 months.

Title:

Content: The New York Times Original
Continue reading Growing drug shortage in the United States has become a threat to national security
The shortage of medicines in the United States last year increased compared to 2021 by 30%, according to The New York Times.
However, the article notes that the growing shortage of inexpensive but critical drugs poses a national security threat to the United States.
The growing shortage of inexpensive but critical drugs poses a threat to U.S. national security and forces hospitals to make “terrible ” choices, writes The New York Times, citing a report prepared for hearings in the U.S. Senate.
According to this report, the shortage of medicines last year increased by almost 30% compared to 2021, with an average shortage of medicines observed for 18 months, and for some drugs – 15 years.
Among the drugs in short supply are conventional antibiotics and anesthetics, the article said.
Senator Gary Peters, a Democrat from Michigan and chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, said that these problems are related to economic factors, an opaque supply chain and the fact that 80% to 90% of some products are made abroad.
“Taken together, these underlying causes not only raise serious concerns about ensuring proper patient care, but also pose a serious threat to national security, ” Peters said.
Dr. Andrew Schumann, an oncology surgeon from Michigan, told senators at the hearing that the shortage of drugs in his field is "a tragedy occurring in slow motion."
As Schumann noted, recently due to the shortage of one cheap, but well-proven cancer drug, he had to choose which patients will receive this drug.
The article notes that many of the cheapest drugs tend to be made in countries such as India and China, where they are inexpensive to manufacture.
However, this concentration of production capacity creates an additional level of vulnerability to problems such as natural disasters and political unrest, emphasizes The New York Times.
The materials of InoTV contain estimates of exclusively foreign media and do not reflect the position of RT
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The shortage of medications has significant implications for patient care, with some hospitals being forced to use alternative treatments or delay care.

A global study found that there is a shortage of 6.4 million doctors worldwide, with the largest shortage being 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 the density of doctors varies greatly between regions, with an average of 16.7 doctors per 10,000 population worldwide.

Overall, the medication shortage is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach to address, including increasing the supply of medications, improving manufacturing efficiency, and developing alternative treatments.


Medication shortage is a growing global concern that has been impacting both developing and developed countries between 2021 and 2024.

The shortage of medications and medical supplies in hospitals and pharmacies has been a significant issue, with the number of drug shortages increasing by 30% in the United States compared to 2021, according to a report by The New York Times.

This increase in drug shortages has been attributed to various factors, including economic factors, a non-transparent supply chain, and the fact that 80-90% of some products are manufactured abroad.

The shortage of critical medications, such as antibiotics and anesthetics, has been particularly concerning, with some hospitals being forced to make difficult decisions about which patients to treat.

In the United States, the FDA has reported a record number of drug shortages, with over 300 drugs currently in short supply, including chemotherapy drugs and medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists has also reported that 99% of hospital pharmacists are experiencing drug shortages, with 1 in 3 health systems being forced to delay, cancel, or ration care.

The shortage of medications has been caused by a combination of factors, including manufacturing problems, quality control issues, and disruptions to the supply chain.

In some cases, the shortage of certain medications has been so severe that hospitals have been forced to switch to alternative treatments or ration care.

For example, a survey of 27 academic cancer centers found that 93% of respondents reported shortages of the chemotherapy drug carboplatin, while 70% reported shortages of the chemotherapy drug cisplatin.

The FDA has taken steps to address the shortage of certain medications, including allowing overseas manufacturers to import some drugs.

However, the root causes of the medication shortage problem need to be addressed, including the lack of transparency in the supply chain and the limited manufacturing capacity.

In Egypt, the shortage of medications has been attributed to a number of factors, including the lack of raw materials, the high cost of production, and the devaluation of the currency.

The Egyptian government has taken steps to address the shortage, including negotiating with pharmaceutical companies to reduce prices and increasing the production of certain medications.

In China, the shortage of medications has been caused by a combination of factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the strict lockdown measures that were implemented.

The pandemic has disrupted the supply chain and caused a shortage of certain raw materials, leading to a shortage of medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

The shortage of medications has had a significant impact on healthcare systems around the world, with many hospitals and pharmacies being forced to ration care or switch to alternative treatments.

In the United States, the medication shortage has been estimated to affect over half a million patients, with the majority being elderly.

The World Health Organization has also reported that the shortage of healthcare workers, including doctors and nurses, is a major concern globally, with over 43 million healthcare workers needed to meet the demand.

The shortage of medications and healthcare workers has significant implications for global health, and urgent action is needed to address these issues.

Overall, the medication shortage is a complex problem that requires a multifaceted solution, including addressing the root causes of the shortage, increasing transparency in the supply chain, and improving manufacturing capacity.

By understanding the causes and consequences of the medication shortage, healthcare systems can take steps to mitigate its impact and ensure that patients receive the care they need.

Medication shortage is a growing global concern that has been impacting both developing and developed countries between 2021 and 2024.

The shortage of medications and medical supplies in hospitals and pharmacies has been a significant issue, with the number of drug shortages increasing by 30% in the United States compared to 2021, according to a report by The New York Times.

Title:

Content: The New York Times Original
Continue reading Growing drug shortage in the United States has become a threat to national security
The shortage of medicines in the United States last year increased compared to 2021 by 30%, according to The New York Times.
However, the article notes that the growing shortage of inexpensive but critical drugs poses a national security threat to the United States.
The growing shortage of inexpensive but critical drugs poses a threat to U.S. national security and forces hospitals to make “terrible ” choices, writes The New York Times, citing a report prepared for hearings in the U.S. Senate.
According to this report, the shortage of medicines last year increased by almost 30% compared to 2021, with an average shortage of medicines observed for 18 months, and for some drugs – 15 years.
Among the drugs in short supply are conventional antibiotics and anesthetics, the article said.
Senator Gary Peters, a Democrat from Michigan and chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, said that these problems are related to economic factors, an opaque supply chain and the fact that 80% to 90% of some products are made abroad.
“Taken together, these underlying causes not only raise serious concerns about ensuring proper patient care, but also pose a serious threat to national security, ” Peters said.
Dr. Andrew Schumann, an oncology surgeon from Michigan, told senators at the hearing that the shortage of drugs in his field is "a tragedy occurring in slow motion."
As Schumann noted, recently due to the shortage of one cheap, but well-proven cancer drug, he had to choose which patients will receive this drug.
The article notes that many of the cheapest drugs tend to be made in countries such as India and China, where they are inexpensive to manufacture.
However, this concentration of production capacity creates an additional level of vulnerability to problems such as natural disasters and political unrest, emphasizes The New York Times.
The materials of InoTV contain estimates of exclusively foreign media and do not reflect the position of RT
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This increase in drug shortages has been attributed to various factors, including economic factors, a non-transparent supply chain, and the fact that 80-90% of some products are manufactured abroad.

The shortage of critical medications, such as antibiotics and anesthetics, has been particularly concerning, with some hospitals being forced to make difficult decisions about which patients to treat.

In the United States, the FDA has reported a record number of drug shortages, with over 300 drugs currently in short supply, including chemotherapy drugs and medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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 has also reported that 99% of hospital pharmacists are experiencing drug shortages, with 1 in 3 health systems being forced to delay, cancel, or ration care.

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 shortage of medications has been caused by a combination of factors, including manufacturing problems, quality control issues, and disruptions to the supply chain.

In some cases, the shortage of certain medications has been so severe that hospitals have been forced to switch to alternative treatments or ration care.

For example, a survey of 27 academic cancer centers found that 93% of respondents reported shortages of the chemotherapy drug carboplatin, while 70% reported shortages of the chemotherapy drug cisplatin.

The FDA has taken steps to address the shortage of certain medications, including allowing overseas manufacturers to import some drugs.

However, the root causes of the medication shortage problem need to be addressed, including the lack of transparency in the supply chain and the limited manufacturing capacity.

In Egypt, the shortage of medications has been attributed to a number of factors, including the lack of raw materials, the high cost of production, and the devaluation of the currency.

Title:

Content: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
Mohamad Elbaz
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
Mohamad Elbaz
Egypt is the cheapest and the crisis will be resolved in two months.
Details of the press conference of the President of the Drug
Dr. Ali Al-Ghamrawi, head of the Drug Authority, said that the phenomenon of drug shortages exists globally and is not limited to Egypt, pointing out that a country like Saudi Arabia has 1372 drugs that are deficient according to an official statistics there.
This came during the press conference held by the President of the Drug Authority, today, to announce all developments related to the drug file, at the headquarters of the Egyptian Drug Authority in Mansouria.
He added that Ecovia gives statistics on the drug market month by month in Egypt with an accuracy of 92%, which confirmed that the shortage rate in Egypt is 7% in 2023 compared to 2022.
Al-Ghamrawi said that the reasons for the shortcomings are due to several reasons, most notably the shortage of raw materials, the rise of spare parts for production machines, in addition to the increase in the dollar exchange rate, stressing that inflation rates and the increase in the interest rate directly affect the price of medicine, pointing out that all these factors directly affect the price of the product.
He explained that the increase in the dollar price led to the tendency of companies to consume their strategic stocks for the production of pharmaceutical items, and after the easing of the dollar crisis and with the increase in the exchange rate, by extension, increased the price of imported raw materials and therefore increased the prices of pharmaceuticals.
He stressed that there will be a breakthrough in the crisis of drug shortages in two or two and a half months at the latest, after the availability of raw materials in the supply chains of companies.
Al-Ghamrawi explained that Egypt is the cheapest price of medicine in the world, pointing out that the raw materials that are imported from abroad at a time when the exchange rate of the dollar was less than the current time, which caused a difference in the price at the present time.
The President of the Drug Authority said that the Authority is negotiating with the drug companies to reduce the prices of some of their medicines and there is a response from a number of companies, adding that today a decision was signed to reduce the prices of medicines for two companies.
He stressed that there are drugs that will see a decrease during the coming period, and not only an increase, and the Authority aims to achieve the general interest of the patient.
He pointed out that there is a rule to increase the prices of medicine, so applications are not considered if the foreign exchange rate increases or decreases by 5% or 7%.
Reasons for requests to raise the price of medicine
Al-Ghamrawi stressed that the Authority is discussing with the pharmaceutical companies the reasons for their requests to raise the price of the drug, and the requests go through nine steps, until the final pricing is reached and the drug is not priced in a moment, but all aspects of the reasons for the price increase are discussed.
He explained that the importance of the Authority is the availability of medicines that are missing in the market, explaining that the Authority has a priority in the provision of medicines, which are medicines for chronic diseases.
Al-Ghamrawi explained that there is continuous control by the inspectors of the Authority on the factories during production, which determines the pricing of the drug through several important factors determined by the Authority with the companies.
He revealed the total campaigns launched during the period from January to protect the control of the pharmaceutical market, pointing out that 46 thousand inspection campaigns were launched on pharmacies and stores resulted in 5,700 violations, and 264 administrative closures, stressing that the Authority has a very strong inspection apparatus.
He stressed that Egypt has great potential in the manufacture of medicine, pointing out that Egypt is number one in the manufacture of medicine in the African continent.
He explained that Egypt has a large number of factories that produce medicine, making it one of the most important countries that make the impossible in Egypt.
He pointed out that there are agreements between the Egyptian Drug Authority and some African countries to provide medicines in Egypt, pointing out that there are five countries have agreements between them and the Authority and there is an expansion in the African market during the coming period.
The head of the Egyptian Pharmaceutical Authority confirmed that the private sector contributes 95% of the production in Egypt and 5% of the production is owned by the government sector.
Al-Ghamrawi explained that this percentage does not cause any crisis because there is continuous cooperation between the local private sector and the Authority in the provision and distribution of medicines, pointing out that 91% of every 100 medicine packs in the market are manufactured in Egypt by factories owned by local pharmaceutical companies (74%) and 26% by international companies.
He pointed out that there are 12 examples of drugs, pointing out that if there is no specific class there are examples and alternatives available, which must be addressed by the citizen, which is the search for analogues and not for the trade name.

The Egyptian government has taken steps to address the shortage, including negotiating with pharmaceutical companies to reduce prices and increasing the production of certain medications.

In China, the shortage of medications has been caused by a combination of factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the strict lockdown measures that were implemented.

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Texan / What Makes Pharmacy Shelves Empty?
Supermarkets and pharmacies in many parts of the United States have recently encountered varying degrees of "drug shortage", many over-the-counter drugs have been snapped up, and online sales channels are also seriously out of stock.
The reasons for this can be broadly divided into the sudden surge in demand, the unfavorable supply situation, and the "panic" caused by the expected future demand for drugs.
Sales of colds at U.S. retailers jumped 35% in November from a year earlier, and sales of throat sprays and throat lotion rose 56%. The recent increase in sales enthusiasm for these drugs is evident.
Even without relying on data, the empty shelves in supermarkets and pharmacies are enough to explain the problem.
In particular, those popular drugs that relieve the symptoms of children's colds are more difficult to find.
The epidemic itself has greatly increased the "need for drugs" as the primary cause.
The impact of COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), multiple epidemics have increased the demand for these drugs.
Especially for parents looking after sick children, it is unrealistic to ask them to be patient and wait for medication.
This has also forced these parents to "sweep" around, and the rush for drugs has naturally spread.
In addition to the increase in demand directly caused by the families of the epidemic, the news of the shortage of drugs has also prompted some families who have not been infected to start stocking up on additional drugs in advance.
In parts of the United States, sales of drugs related to coughs, colds, flu and nasal congestion have directly doubled in the past month.
In some areas where drug supply is limited, sales have also been pushed up by 30%.
In addition, from a supply point of view, the tight supply chain of production is also a factor that causes a "short-term drug shortage".
According to a recent study, 84% of the global supply of Acetaminophen (the main component of Tylenol) comes from China and India, with China accounting for nearly two-thirds of the total supply; Ipuprofen also comes from China, accounting for one-third of global production.
Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson, the parent company of Technol and Merrill Lynch, has pharmaceutical plants in cities such as Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou in China.
The capacity of these factories has been limited by China ’ s previous strict epidemic prevention policies.
Even though the control has been almost liberalized recently, the continuous positive performance of workers has also affected factory capacity to a certain extent.
In addition, transportation problems can also lead to drug shortages, and international shipping has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels.
But despite this, some pharmaceutical companies say that there is no problem with the supply of drugs, there is sufficient stock, but it only takes time to get to the major supermarkets and pharmacies.
When people make decisions, they are more or less unavoidably influenced by their surroundings.
The same is true in the case of drugs.
The recently criticized and controversial supermarket drug purchase behavior is actually the product driven by profit under the "drug demand" and "panic stocking".
Of course, it is not difficult to predict that with the change of time, the flu season slowly ends and the recovery of supply capacity, everything will gradually be on track.
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The pandemic has disrupted the supply chain and caused a shortage of certain raw materials, leading to a shortage of medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

The shortage of medications has had a significant impact on healthcare systems around the world, with many hospitals and pharmacies being forced to ration care or switch to alternative treatments.

In the United States, the medication shortage has been estimated to affect over half a million patients, with the majority being elderly.

The World Health Organization has also reported that the shortage of healthcare workers, including doctors and nurses, is a major concern globally, with over 43 million healthcare workers needed to meet the demand.

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 shortage of medications and healthcare workers has significant implications for global health, and urgent action is needed to address these issues.

Overall, the medication shortage is a complex problem that requires a multifaceted solution, including addressing the root causes of the shortage, increasing transparency in the supply chain, and improving manufacturing capacity.

By understanding the causes and consequences of the medication shortage, healthcare systems can take steps to mitigate its impact and ensure that patients receive the care they need.


Medication shortage is a growing global concern, impacting both developing and developed countries, with reports of shortages increasing between 2021 and 2024.

The shortages have affected various medications, including cough syrup, lozenges, and ointments [1], as well as critical drugs such as chemotherapy medications, steroids, and hormonal drugs.

In the United States, the number of drug shortages has reached a record high, with 323 drugs in short supply in the first quarter of 2024, surpassing the previous high of 320 in 2014.

The reasons behind the shortages are complex, but they include manufacturing problems, quality issues, and supply chain disruptions.

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

In some cases, hospitals have had to import drugs from overseas manufacturers to meet patient needs.

The impact of the shortages has been significant, with 99% of hospital pharmacists reporting some drug supply shortages, and 1 in 3 health systems delaying, canceling, or rationing care.

The FDA has taken steps to address the shortages, including allowing overseas manufacturers to import certain drugs and providing guidance to manufacturers on how to prevent shortages.

Overall, the medication shortage is a critical issue that requires immediate attention and action from healthcare systems, manufacturers, and regulatory agencies.

Medication shortage is a growing global concern, impacting both developing and developed countries, with reports of shortages 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
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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 shortages have affected various medications, including cough syrup, lozenges, and ointments [1], as well as critical drugs such as chemotherapy medications, steroids, and hormonal drugs.

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.
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In the United States, the number of drug shortages has reached a record high, with 323 drugs in short supply in the first quarter of 2024, surpassing the previous high of 320 in 2014.

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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 reasons behind the shortages are complex, but they include manufacturing problems, quality issues, and supply chain disruptions.

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

In some cases, hospitals have had to import drugs from overseas manufacturers to meet patient needs.

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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 impact of the shortages has been significant, with 99% of hospital pharmacists reporting some drug supply shortages, and 1 in 3 health systems delaying, canceling, or rationing care.

The FDA has taken steps to address the shortages, including allowing overseas manufacturers to import certain drugs and providing guidance to manufacturers on how to prevent shortages.

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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

Overall, the medication shortage is a critical issue that requires immediate attention and action from healthcare systems, manufacturers, and regulatory agencies.