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

The shortages have been observed in various countries, including the US, Egypt, Estonia, and Ireland, affecting a wide range of medications and medical supplies.

In the US, the number of drug shortages increased by 30% in 2022 compared to 2021, with an average shortage lasting 18 months.

Some drug shortages in the US have lasted up to 15 years, highlighting the severity of the issue.

The affected drugs include antibiotics, anesthetics, cancer treatments, and blood pressure medications, among others.

Antibiotics, in particular, have been in short supply in several countries, including the US, Egypt, and Estonia.

The reasons behind the shortages are complex and multifaceted, including production problems, quality issues, and supply chain disruptions.

Manufacturing difficulties and raw material shortages have also contributed to the shortages, with 80% of active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturers located overseas.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the issue, with lockdowns and border closures leading to shipping delays and production disruptions.

Economic factors, such as high exchange rates and economic crises, have also played a role in the shortages, particularly in countries like Egypt.

The healthcare systems have coped with the shortages in various ways, including delaying or canceling care, using alternative medications, and importing drugs from overseas.

In the US, the FDA has allowed the importation of chemotherapy drugs from overseas to address the shortages.

Pharmacists have also borne the brunt of the shortages, with 99% of hospital pharmacists reporting drug supply shortages and 93% of cancer centers reporting carboplatin shortages.

The impact of the shortages on patients has been significant, with 1 in 3 health systems delaying or canceling care due to shortages.

The lack of transparency in the supply chain has hindered the response to the shortages, making it difficult to predict and prevent future shortages.

The FDA relies on phone calls to understand drug shortage situations, highlighting the need for more effective communication and monitoring systems.

The White House has proposed $3.26 billion to $5.11 billion to address the shortages, recognizing the severity of the issue.

In Estonia, the government has issued drugs from state reserve stocks to address the shortages, while in Ireland, alternative medicines have been used to ensure continuity of treatment.

The medication shortage is a complex issue that requires a multi-stakeholder response, involving governments, manufacturers, pharmacists, and healthcare providers.

The use of alternative medicines and importation of drugs from overseas can help mitigate the shortages, but a more comprehensive and coordinated approach is needed to address the root causes of the issue.

The fragmentation of the drug supply chain is a major contributor to the shortages, and efforts to consolidate and streamline the supply chain could help reduce the risk of future shortages.

Overall, the medication shortage is a growing global concern that requires urgent attention and action from all stakeholders involved.

The reports of shortages between 2021 and 2024 highlight the need for more effective monitoring and communication systems, as well as a more comprehensive and coordinated approach to addressing the shortages.

By understanding the causes and consequences of the shortages, healthcare systems can develop strategies to mitigate the impact on patients and ensure continuity of care.

The use of data and analytics can help identify trends and patterns in the shortages, allowing for more effective prediction and prevention of future shortages.

The medication shortage is a complex issue that requires a nuanced and multifaceted approach, involving governments, manufacturers, pharmacists, and healthcare providers.

By working together, stakeholders can develop effective solutions to address the shortages and ensure that patients receive the medications they need.

The impact of the shortages on patients and healthcare systems cannot be overstated, and urgent action is needed to address the issue.

The reports of shortages between 2021 and 2024 provide a critical snapshot of the issue, highlighting the need for more effective monitoring and communication systems.

The use of alternative medicines and importation of drugs from overseas can help mitigate the shortages, but a more comprehensive and coordinated approach is needed to address the root causes of the issue.

The medication shortage is a growing global concern that requires urgent attention and action from all stakeholders involved.

The complexity of the issue requires a nuanced and multifaceted approach, involving governments, manufacturers, pharmacists, and healthcare providers.

By understanding the causes and consequences of the shortages, healthcare systems can develop strategies to mitigate the impact on patients and ensure continuity of care.

The medication shortage is a critical issue that requires immediate attention and action, and stakeholders must work together to develop effective solutions.

The use of data and analytics can help identify trends and patterns in the shortages, allowing for more effective prediction and prevention of future shortages.

The reports of shortages between 2021 and 2024 highlight the need for more effective monitoring and communication systems, as well as a more comprehensive and coordinated approach to addressing the shortages.

The medication shortage is a complex issue that requires a multi-stakeholder response, involving governments, manufacturers, pharmacists, and healthcare providers.

The impact of the shortages on patients and healthcare systems cannot be overstated, and urgent action is needed to address the issue.

In conclusion, the medication shortage is a growing global concern that requires urgent attention and action from all stakeholders involved.

The reports of shortages between 2021 and 2024 provide a critical snapshot of the issue, highlighting the need for more effective monitoring and communication systems.

The use of alternative medicines and importation of drugs from overseas can help mitigate the shortages, but a more comprehensive and coordinated approach is needed to address the root causes of the issue.

The medication shortage is a complex issue that requires a nuanced and multifaceted approach, involving governments, manufacturers, pharmacists, and healthcare providers.

By working together, stakeholders can develop effective solutions to address the shortages and ensure that patients receive the medications they need.

The medication shortage is a critical issue that requires immediate attention and action, and stakeholders must work together to develop effective solutions.

Specifically, 323 drugs were in shortage in the first three months of 2024, with sterile injectable generic drugs being particularly vulnerable to shortages.

Additionally, 309 drugs were in shortage, near the all-time high, with cancer drug shortages affecting 10-20% of cancer patients.

The shortages have also affected other medications, including antibiotics, anesthetics, and blood pressure medications, with 1 in 3 health systems delaying or canceling care due to shortages.

The lack of transparency in the supply chain has hindered the response to the shortages, making it difficult to predict and prevent future shortages.

The FDA relies on phone calls to understand drug shortage situations, highlighting the need for more effective communication and monitoring systems.

The White House has proposed $3.26 billion to $5.11 billion to address the shortages, recognizing the severity of the issue.

In Estonia, the government has issued drugs from state reserve stocks to address the shortages, while in Ireland, alternative medicines have been used to ensure continuity of treatment.

The medication shortage is a complex issue that requires a multi-stakeholder response, involving governments, manufacturers, pharmacists, and healthcare providers.

The impact of the shortages on patients has been significant, with 1 in 3 health systems delaying or canceling care due to shortages.

The use of data and analytics can help identify trends and patterns in the shortages, allowing for more effective prediction and prevention of future shortages.

The medication shortage is a growing global concern that requires urgent attention and action from all stakeholders involved.

The reports of shortages between 2021 and 2024 provide a critical snapshot of the issue, highlighting the need for more effective monitoring and communication systems.

The use of alternative medicines and importation of drugs from overseas can help mitigate the shortages, but a more comprehensive and coordinated approach is needed to address the root causes of the issue.

The medication shortage is a complex issue that requires a nuanced and multifaceted approach, involving governments, manufacturers, pharmacists, and healthcare providers.

By understanding the causes and consequences of the shortages, healthcare systems can develop strategies to mitigate the impact on patients and ensure continuity of care.

The medication shortage is a critical issue that requires immediate attention and action, and stakeholders must work together to develop effective solutions.

The impact of the shortages on patients and healthcare systems cannot be overstated, and urgent action is needed to address the issue.

In conclusion, the medication shortage is a growing global concern that requires urgent attention and action from all stakeholders involved.

The medication shortage is a complex issue that requires a multi-stakeholder response, involving governments, manufacturers, pharmacists, and healthcare providers.

The use of alternative medicines and importation of drugs from overseas can help mitigate the shortages, but a more comprehen

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

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Health Insurance Department: Most of the new list of missing drugs is included in the price range
2023 / 2 / 25 14: 26 (Updated 2 / 25 14: 45)
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Lack of medicine is frequent, recently extended from the community pharmacy to the hospital, the National Health Insurance Department pointed out on the 25th, after comparing the medical profession to introduce a new list of shortage of drugs, most of them are not included in the adjustment.
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(Central News Agency reporter Shen Peiyao, Taipei, 25) The shortage of medicines has been frequently reported, and it has recently been extended from community pharmacies to hospitals.
The Health Insurance Department pointed out today that after comparing the list of new medicines in the medical sector, most of them are not adjusted, and some are machine and freight problems, and supply has been resumed gradually.
According to the "Drug Expenses Target System", the Central Health Insurance Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare adjusts the budget of health insurance drugs every year.
Due to the COVID-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, the health insurance drug budget has not been adjusted for two years, and the combined adjustment amount of 110 and 111 is NT $8.18 billion. The original plan was announced yesterday and took effect on April 1, but it was temporarily cancelled.
Health Insurance Commissioner Shi Chongliang yesterday said that the current health insurance contains about 14,000 drugs, the original has been good, is expected to adjust 6009 of them, the remaining 8000 do not adjust, because the medical sector also proposed a number of drugs to obtain difficulties, has brought back the list, but also need a little time to re-examine and calculate, so the announcement was postponed.
Chen Yu-ying, deputy secretary general of the All Federation of Pharmacists Association, said in a telephone interview today that although there is no complete shutdown, the manufacturers will have a slight control on the supply volume, and there is no way to supply the full amount.
Chen Yuying said that in a large hospital, a total of about 34 drugs need to be replaced by other brands, and the supply of the most is only the usual 70 to 80%, including antibiotics "amoxicillin" (Ampicillin), Ampicillin (Ampicillin), etc., as well as anti-allergic drugs, blood pressure drugs, and muscle relaxants for intubation during surgery.
The biggest headache for hospitals is the shortage of anticoagulant drugs.
Chen Yuying said that there are other drugs that can be replaced by oral drugs, but there is only one manufacturer of anticoagulants, one formulation, and another brand will have to be replaced when stocks are exhausted. The mechanism of the drug is not the same, "There is no substitute at all in the clinic, but there is a change in the way."
In response to the shortage of medicines in the hospital, Huang Yu-wen, head of the medical audit and pharmaceutical section of the National Health Insurance Administration, explained that when he communicated with representatives of the medical community on the relevant issues yesterday, the Taiwan Community Hospital Association provided 58 items of shortage drugs, and compared, most of the drugs have not been adjusted in the principle of drug price adjustment.
As for a small number of drugs that are not included in the scope of adjustment, Huang Yu-wen says that most of them are three identical products (the same ingredients, dosage, and content) that have been accepted by Health Insurance for more than 15 years, or have other alternatives for the same indications, and some of the shortage of drugs is due to short-term production problems, such as drug packaging machine failures and shipping delays.
Huang Yuwen said that the initial assessment of medical representatives to put forward a new list of shortage of drugs, does not affect the current price adjustment, will still be announced on March 1. At present, health insurance has received about 14,000 drugs, of which 6009 items, 8.18 billion yuan is expected to be adjusted. (Editor: Li Hengshan) 1120225
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The shortages have been observed in various countries, including the US, Egypt, Estonia, and Ireland, affecting a wide range of medications and medical supplies.

In the US, the number of drug shortages increased by 30% in 2022 compared to 2021, with an average shortage lasting 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.
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Some drug shortages in the US have lasted up to 15 years, highlighting the severity of the issue.

The affected drugs include antibiotics, anesthetics, cancer treatments, and blood pressure medications, among others.

Antibiotics, in particular, have been in short supply in several countries, including the US, Egypt, and Estonia.

The reasons behind the shortages are complex and multifaceted, including production problems, quality issues, and supply chain disruptions.

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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Manufacturing difficulties and raw material shortages have also contributed to the shortages, with 80% of active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturers located overseas.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the issue, with lockdowns and border closures leading to shipping delays and production disruptions.

Economic factors, such as high exchange rates and economic crises, have also played a role in the shortages, particularly in countries like Egypt.

Title:

Content: Crowding citizens in front of the ambulance pharmacy reveals the extent of suffering …
6.
The suffering of poor patients is due to the lack of medicines.
Where the pharmaceutical market has been suffering for several consecutive months from a severe shortage in many varieties.. Which prompted citizens to crowd in front of the ambulance pharmacy in long queues to buy those shortcomings after they disappeared from all pharmacies..
Hustle...
Chaos...
Hundreds of men and women crowded in long queues that extend for several hours.. This is the scene in front of the ambulance pharmacy in the center of the country. People with chronic diseases of sugar, pressure, heart, nerves and colon became their only hope to find essential drugs for them in the pharmacy.. The absence of these drugs does not only expose them to more pain but may expose them to death.. They can not do without them..
The drug shortage crisis.
It is not a new crisis, but it has been repeated many times during the previous term of Minister “Khaled Abdel Ghaffar ”.. Instead of trying to solve the crisis, the government is going against the trend, where the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health Dr.“ Khaled Abdel Ghaffar ” in statements after the government statement to parliament to the need to increase the prices of medicine in Egypt because it is the cheapest in the world and sold abroad by 50 times. According to the data of the Medbelle global platform for health care and funded by the European Fund for Regional Development in 2021, Egypt is ranked ninth in the list of cheapest countries in the world in the sale of medicine, and did not come in the first place as mentioned by the minister
Despite the repeated statements of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health to resolve the crisis and provide the missing medicines, and despite the government ’ s repeated talk about the localization of the pharmaceutical industry in Egypt, the reality is quite the opposite.
There are a number of terrible complaints about the lack of medicine in public hospitals and pharmacies, including a collective complaint from the patients of the university hospitals in Assiut Governorate of the lack of availability of drugs and the absence of dye injections, which puts their lives at risk. Although the patients filed a complaint to the governor two weeks ago, but to no avail. The long queue of two or three hours to win a box of insulin Maxtard despite the increase in the price from 60 pounds to 93 pounds confirms the extent of suffering experienced by patients. Also, the disappearance of Indoxan injections used in chemotherapy sessions threatens oncology patients, where thousands of patients in oncology institutes and hospitals suffer from delayed chemotherapy sessions for lack and disappearance of Indoxan injection. The right to medicine, but the crisis still exists.
There is also a shortage of many drugs, including blood thinners and clots solvents, drugs for the treatment of cancerous tumors, multiple sclerosis drugs, drugs for the treatment of liver diseases, drugs for stomach ulcers and blood pressure, drugs for sinuses, heart and thyroid diseases, dozens of types of analgesics, antibiotics and vitamins, as well as anesthetics used in anesthesia and solutions in public hospitals. Subsidized children, which was exploited by the mafia of the black market to raise prices to double the original price of milk can up to 500 pounds..
All types of treatments for epilepsy, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias and hyperactivity disease are still unavailable due to the lack of import of raw materials.
Health Insurance Patients
The crisis is not limited to hospitals and pharmacies only, but the branches of health insurance suffer from a large shortage of medicine and also medical supplies, which led to the closure of the operating rooms in the branches of insurance in the province of Beni Suef..
In the health insurance clinics in Cairo and Giza, many of those who frequent these clinics complained that they come from 7 am to reserve their roles in order to dispense their medicines and end up sitting in the pharmacy waiting for the pharmacist who dispenses them some of them, and the rest of their medicines are separated in new prescriptions to be dispensed from the insurance pharmacies, if any. Blood thinners and thrombotic solvents, some pressure medications, multiple sclerosis medications, stomach ulcer and thyroid medications, sugar, antibiotics, vitamins, Parkinson ’ s medications, and hyperactivity protocol.
Many cases complained of the lack of their medicines, which they have been dispensing for years.. And they were dispensed periodically every two months for a year after the approval of the Drug Committee to dispense those medicines, including a special medicine liquidity imported medicines, and patients with diabetes and blood diseases were their complaint that any imported medicine and its price expensive requires the highest approval of a committee in the Council of Ministers..
Although patients have been dispensing the same medication for several years, this complaint is frequent from universal health insurance patients.
Detention of raw materials
Dr. Ali Auf, head of the pharmaceutical division of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, said that the reason for the worsening of the shortage of medicines is the detention of raw materials in ports, pointing out that there are about 1000 items that are not available.
Exchange rate
Mahmoud Fouad, Executive Director of the Right to Medicine Association, said that the aggravation of the crisis is due to the companies stockpiling medicines in anticipation of higher prices, explaining that the crisis began about two years ago due to the shortage of raw materials as a result of the high exchange rate and the inability of companies to provide dollar materials to import raw materials.
Fouad stressed that there are more than 1000 drugs whose prices rose during the past year by rates ranging from 25% to 60%, pointing out that the increase reached during the current days to 60% for the local and 80% for the importer.
Fouad described the statements of the Minister of Health about the price of Egyptian medicine as being 50 times lower than abroad as shocking, pointing out that there was a successive movement of prices from the Drug Pricing Committee of the Egyptian Drug Authority starting in 2023, which resulted in the movement of about 1,000 varieties.
He explained that Egypt suffered during the last two years from the phenomenon of medicine shortage due to the shortage of imported raw materials as a result of the economic crisis and the fluctuation of the exchange rate … and the crisis affected items considered life-saving.
Fouad stressed that drug sales in Egypt reached about $3 billion a year in 2023 without the sales of the armed forces and the interior and tenders of the Ministry of Health, which means that Egypt is considered the largest market in the region.
Unfair pricing system
He explained that Egypt had been subject to the pricing of medicines for 10 years according to the decision of the Minister of Health under the system of "lower pricing for neighboring countries" and then the pricing was according to the decision 413 of 1991, which is "calculating the cost and profit margin for companies and distribution and then pharmacies" according to the compulsory pricing that began in 1988.
He explained that the pricing is according to the cheapest price in the reference countries identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 36 countries to guide their prices and the minister to take them or not, pointing out that these countries are the major industrial countries and have comprehensive health insurance laws, which Egypt lacks.
Fouad added that this system in pricing is unfair as medicine has become subject to market mechanisms, supply and demand and suspicions of monopoly, the price is controlled by the policy of supply and demand, which makes medicine a commodity sold to those who can, especially since there are more than millions of Egyptian people not participating in the health insurance system, which only 63% of citizens participate.
Fouad pointed out that Egypt has about 17 officially registered medicines, 90% of which are manufactured, 176 companies that own factories, 7 business sector companies, 22 branches of foreign companies and 1,200 commercial companies that do not own a factory.
He stressed that the crisis of medicine shortage and successive rises will make the Egyptian citizen groaning and unable to bear it.
Fouad warned of the danger of the expected increases in drug prices during the coming period.

The healthcare systems have coped with the shortages in various ways, including delaying or canceling care, using alternative medications, and importing drugs from overseas.

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 the US, the FDA has allowed the importation of chemotherapy drugs from overseas to address the shortages.

Pharmacists have also borne the brunt of the shortages, with 99% of hospital pharmacists reporting drug supply shortages and 93% of cancer centers reporting carboplatin shortages.

The impact of the shortages on patients has been significant, with 1 in 3 health systems delaying or canceling care due to shortages.

The lack of transparency in the supply chain has hindered the response to the shortages, making it difficult to predict and prevent future shortages.

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 FDA relies on phone calls to understand drug shortage situations, highlighting the need for more effective communication and monitoring systems.

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 White House has proposed $3.26 billion to $5.11 billion to address the shortages, recognizing the severity of the issue.

In Estonia, the government has issued drugs from state reserve stocks to address the shortages, while in Ireland, alternative medicines have been used to ensure continuity of treatment.

Title:

Content: Drug supply problems have worsened in Estonia
This year, pharmacies in Estonia faced a much larger shortage of drugs than a year earlier.
Problems with supplies are caused by both increased demand and shortage of raw materials, reports rus.err with reference to "Actual chamber".
This spring, parents faced a shortage of antibiotics and antipyretic drugs suitable for children, and in the fall, the Sorbister drug for renal patients had to be issued from the state reserve stock, since it was not enough due to supply problems in pharmacies.
Hospitals are also facing a severe shortage of medicines this year.
“For example, hospitals use very important drugs to treat the consequences of heart attacks and strokes, the supply problems of which have been observed for a year, but thanks to good cooperation, we were able to ensure that no one was left without treatment, ” said Marco Tiisler, head of the Import and Export Supervision Department of the Drug Department.
In 2021, there was a shortage of 183 drugs in pharmacies, last year - 359, as of the end of this year - 450 drugs, and in the case of 130 drugs, the cause of the deficiency is unknown.
The second significant reason was a sudden surge in demand, for example, for the drug Ozempic, which is popular among those who lose weight, but drugs can be in short supply due to problems with production.
- Producers lack the active ingredient.
The active substances come from third countries, they are not always available, this was stated by one of the largest European manufacturers of antibiotics, - said Tiisler.
Drug supply problems put not only patients in a difficult position, but also doctors who have to quickly find replacements, sometimes in conditions of scarce information about alternatives.
If earlier, in the case of a shortage of drugs, the patient had to pay the full cost of the drug prescribed as a substitute, recently the Health Insurance Fund, as an exception, decided to extend the discount to some alternatives.
According to Lee Rootslane, head of the Union of Pharmacies, problems with the supply of medicines are a growing problem throughout Europe.
- This year, in cooperation with the Drug Department and family doctors, we made recommendations so that if a problem arises, we do not solve it after the fact, but try to provide some solutions and avoid panic.
In the case of children ’ s syrups, people read about the shortage of syrup, went to the pharmacy and took two syrups instead of the usual one, ” Rootslane said.
The drug department recommends having a weekly supply of non-prescription drugs and a monthly supply of prescription drugs at home.
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Back to top

The medication shortage is a complex issue that requires a multi-stakeholder response, involving governments, manufacturers, pharmacists, and healthcare providers.

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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The use of alternative medicines and importation of drugs from overseas can help mitigate the shortages, but a more comprehensive and coordinated approach is needed to address the root causes of the issue.

The fragmentation of the drug supply chain is a major contributor to the shortages, and efforts to consolidate and streamline the supply chain could help reduce the risk of future shortages.

Overall, the medication shortage is a growing global concern that requires urgent attention and action from all stakeholders involved.

The reports of shortages between 2021 and 2024 highlight the need for more effective monitoring and communication systems, as well as a more comprehensive and coordinated approach to addressing the shortages.

By understanding the causes and consequences of the shortages, healthcare systems can develop strategies to mitigate the impact on patients and ensure continuity of care.

The use of data and analytics can help identify trends and patterns in the shortages, allowing for more effective prediction and prevention of future shortages.

The medication shortage is a complex issue that requires a nuanced and multifaceted approach, involving governments, manufacturers, pharmacists, and healthcare providers.

By working together, stakeholders can develop effective solutions to address the shortages and ensure that patients receive the medications they need.

The impact of the shortages on patients and healthcare systems cannot be overstated, and urgent action is needed to address the issue.

The reports of shortages between 2021 and 2024 provide a critical snapshot of the issue, highlighting the need for more effective monitoring and communication systems.

The use of alternative medicines and importation of drugs from overseas can help mitigate the shortages, but a more comprehensive and coordinated approach is needed to address the root causes of the issue.

The medication shortage is a growing global concern that requires urgent attention and action from all stakeholders involved.

The complexity of the issue requires a nuanced and multifaceted approach, involving governments, manufacturers, pharmacists, and healthcare providers.

By understanding the causes and consequences of the shortages, healthcare systems can develop strategies to mitigate the impact on patients and ensure continuity of care.

The medication shortage is a critical issue that requires immediate attention and action, and stakeholders must work together to develop effective solutions.

The use of data and analytics can help identify trends and patterns in the shortages, allowing for more effective prediction and prevention of future shortages.

The reports of shortages between 2021 and 2024 highlight the need for more effective monitoring and communication systems, as well as a more comprehensive and coordinated approach to addressing the shortages.

The medication shortage is a complex issue that requires a multi-stakeholder response, involving governments, manufacturers, pharmacists, and healthcare providers.

The impact of the shortages on patients and healthcare systems cannot be overstated, and urgent action is needed to address the issue.

In conclusion, the medication shortage is a growing global concern that requires urgent attention and action from all stakeholders involved.

The reports of shortages between 2021 and 2024 provide a critical snapshot of the issue, highlighting the need for more effective monitoring and communication systems.

The use of alternative medicines and importation of drugs from overseas can help mitigate the shortages, but a more comprehensive and coordinated approach is needed to address the root causes of the issue.

The medication shortage is a complex issue that requires a nuanced and multifaceted approach, involving governments, manufacturers, pharmacists, and healthcare providers.

By working together, stakeholders can develop effective solutions to address the shortages and ensure that patients receive the medications they need.

The medication shortage is a critical issue that requires immediate attention and action, and stakeholders must work together to develop effective solutions.

Specifically, 323 drugs were in shortage in the first three months of 2024, with sterile injectable generic drugs being particularly vulnerable to shortages.

Additionally, 309 drugs were in shortage, near the all-time high, with cancer drug shortages affecting 10-20% of cancer patients.

The shortages have also affected other medications, including antibiotics, anesthetics, and blood pressure medications, with 1 in 3 health systems delaying or canceling care due to shortages.

The lack of transparency in the supply chain has hindered the response to the shortages, making it difficult to predict and prevent future shortages.

The FDA relies on phone calls to understand drug shortage situations, highlighting the need for more effective communication and monitoring systems.

The White House has proposed $3.26 billion to $5.11 billion to address the shortages, recognizing the severity of the issue.

In Estonia, the government has issued drugs from state reserve stocks to address the shortages, while in Ireland, alternative medicines have been used to ensure continuity of treatment.

The medication shortage is a complex issue that requires a multi-stakeholder response, involving governments, manufacturers, pharmacists, and healthcare providers.

The impact of the shortages on patients has been significant, with 1 in 3 health systems delaying or canceling care due to shortages.

The use of data and analytics can help identify trends and patterns in the shortages, allowing for more effective prediction and prevention of future shortages.

The medication shortage is a growing global concern that requires urgent attention and action from all stakeholders involved.

The reports of shortages between 2021 and 2024 provide a critical snapshot of the issue, highlighting the need for more effective monitoring and communication systems.

The use of alternative medicines and importation of drugs from overseas can help mitigate the shortages, but a more comprehensive and coordinated approach is needed to address the root causes of the issue.

The medication shortage is a complex issue that requires a nuanced and multifaceted approach, involving governments, manufacturers, pharmacists, and healthcare providers.

By understanding the causes and consequences of the shortages, healthcare systems can develop strategies to mitigate the impact on patients and ensure continuity of care.

The medication shortage is a critical issue that requires immediate attention and action, and stakeholders must work together to develop effective solutions.

The impact of the shortages on patients and healthcare systems cannot be overstated, and urgent action is needed to address the issue.

In conclusion, the medication shortage is a growing global concern that requires urgent attention and action from all stakeholders involved.

The medication shortage is a complex issue that requires a multi-stakeholder response, involving governments, manufacturers, pharmacists, and healthcare providers.

The use of alternative medicines and importation of drugs from overseas can help mitigate the shortages, but a more comprehen


Medication shortage is a growing global concern, impacting both developing and developed countries, with reports of shortages in the US, Egypt, Estonia, Ireland, and Taiwan between 2021 and 2024.

The US faced a 30% increase in medicine shortages in 2022 compared to 2021, with an average shortage lasting 18 months and some lasting up to 15 years.

Antibiotics, anesthetics, and cheap cancer drugs were among the affected medications in the US, with economic factors and opaque supply chains contributing to the shortages.

In Egypt, patients with chronic diseases suffered due to a lack of essential drugs, including insulin, blood thinners, and cancer treatments, with over 1000 drugs experiencing price increases ranging from 25% to 60% in 2023.

The FDA reported that 111 drugs were out of stock in the US in 2021, including digoxin injection and dacarbazine, with production problems and quality issues causing some shortages.

Sterile injectable generic drugs, chemotherapy drugs, and central nervous system stimulants were among the most vulnerable to shortages, with more than half of treatment shortages lasting over two years.

The health insurance system in Egypt only covered 63% of citizens, exacerbating the medication shortage crisis, while in the US, 80% of active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturers were overseas, contributing to supply chain disruptions.

Hospitals and pharmacies worldwide, including in Ireland and Estonia, faced shortages of medications such as paracetamol, antibiotics, and ADHD medication, with raw material shortages, manufacturing difficulties, and industry consolidations contributing to the shortages.

Cancer drug shortages affected 10% to 20% of all cancer patients, with 93% of academic cancer centers reporting shortages of carboplatin and 70%

Medication shortage is a growing global concern, impacting both developing and developed countries, with reports of shortages in the US, Egypt, Estonia, Ireland, and Taiwan between 2021 and 2024.

Title:

Content: Drug supply problems have worsened in Estonia
This year, pharmacies in Estonia faced a much larger shortage of drugs than a year earlier.
Problems with supplies are caused by both increased demand and shortage of raw materials, reports rus.err with reference to "Actual chamber".
This spring, parents faced a shortage of antibiotics and antipyretic drugs suitable for children, and in the fall, the Sorbister drug for renal patients had to be issued from the state reserve stock, since it was not enough due to supply problems in pharmacies.
Hospitals are also facing a severe shortage of medicines this year.
“For example, hospitals use very important drugs to treat the consequences of heart attacks and strokes, the supply problems of which have been observed for a year, but thanks to good cooperation, we were able to ensure that no one was left without treatment, ” said Marco Tiisler, head of the Import and Export Supervision Department of the Drug Department.
In 2021, there was a shortage of 183 drugs in pharmacies, last year - 359, as of the end of this year - 450 drugs, and in the case of 130 drugs, the cause of the deficiency is unknown.
The second significant reason was a sudden surge in demand, for example, for the drug Ozempic, which is popular among those who lose weight, but drugs can be in short supply due to problems with production.
- Producers lack the active ingredient.
The active substances come from third countries, they are not always available, this was stated by one of the largest European manufacturers of antibiotics, - said Tiisler.
Drug supply problems put not only patients in a difficult position, but also doctors who have to quickly find replacements, sometimes in conditions of scarce information about alternatives.
If earlier, in the case of a shortage of drugs, the patient had to pay the full cost of the drug prescribed as a substitute, recently the Health Insurance Fund, as an exception, decided to extend the discount to some alternatives.
According to Lee Rootslane, head of the Union of Pharmacies, problems with the supply of medicines are a growing problem throughout Europe.
- This year, in cooperation with the Drug Department and family doctors, we made recommendations so that if a problem arises, we do not solve it after the fact, but try to provide some solutions and avoid panic.
In the case of children ’ s syrups, people read about the shortage of syrup, went to the pharmacy and took two syrups instead of the usual one, ” Rootslane said.
The drug department recommends having a weekly supply of non-prescription drugs and a monthly supply of prescription drugs at home.
Comments
Back to top

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.

READ NEXT:

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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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Title:

Content: Crowding citizens in front of the ambulance pharmacy reveals the extent of suffering …
6.
The suffering of poor patients is due to the lack of medicines.
Where the pharmaceutical market has been suffering for several consecutive months from a severe shortage in many varieties.. Which prompted citizens to crowd in front of the ambulance pharmacy in long queues to buy those shortcomings after they disappeared from all pharmacies..
Hustle...
Chaos...
Hundreds of men and women crowded in long queues that extend for several hours.. This is the scene in front of the ambulance pharmacy in the center of the country. People with chronic diseases of sugar, pressure, heart, nerves and colon became their only hope to find essential drugs for them in the pharmacy.. The absence of these drugs does not only expose them to more pain but may expose them to death.. They can not do without them..
The drug shortage crisis.
It is not a new crisis, but it has been repeated many times during the previous term of Minister “Khaled Abdel Ghaffar ”.. Instead of trying to solve the crisis, the government is going against the trend, where the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health Dr.“ Khaled Abdel Ghaffar ” in statements after the government statement to parliament to the need to increase the prices of medicine in Egypt because it is the cheapest in the world and sold abroad by 50 times. According to the data of the Medbelle global platform for health care and funded by the European Fund for Regional Development in 2021, Egypt is ranked ninth in the list of cheapest countries in the world in the sale of medicine, and did not come in the first place as mentioned by the minister
Despite the repeated statements of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health to resolve the crisis and provide the missing medicines, and despite the government ’ s repeated talk about the localization of the pharmaceutical industry in Egypt, the reality is quite the opposite.
There are a number of terrible complaints about the lack of medicine in public hospitals and pharmacies, including a collective complaint from the patients of the university hospitals in Assiut Governorate of the lack of availability of drugs and the absence of dye injections, which puts their lives at risk. Although the patients filed a complaint to the governor two weeks ago, but to no avail. The long queue of two or three hours to win a box of insulin Maxtard despite the increase in the price from 60 pounds to 93 pounds confirms the extent of suffering experienced by patients. Also, the disappearance of Indoxan injections used in chemotherapy sessions threatens oncology patients, where thousands of patients in oncology institutes and hospitals suffer from delayed chemotherapy sessions for lack and disappearance of Indoxan injection. The right to medicine, but the crisis still exists.
There is also a shortage of many drugs, including blood thinners and clots solvents, drugs for the treatment of cancerous tumors, multiple sclerosis drugs, drugs for the treatment of liver diseases, drugs for stomach ulcers and blood pressure, drugs for sinuses, heart and thyroid diseases, dozens of types of analgesics, antibiotics and vitamins, as well as anesthetics used in anesthesia and solutions in public hospitals. Subsidized children, which was exploited by the mafia of the black market to raise prices to double the original price of milk can up to 500 pounds..
All types of treatments for epilepsy, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias and hyperactivity disease are still unavailable due to the lack of import of raw materials.
Health Insurance Patients
The crisis is not limited to hospitals and pharmacies only, but the branches of health insurance suffer from a large shortage of medicine and also medical supplies, which led to the closure of the operating rooms in the branches of insurance in the province of Beni Suef..
In the health insurance clinics in Cairo and Giza, many of those who frequent these clinics complained that they come from 7 am to reserve their roles in order to dispense their medicines and end up sitting in the pharmacy waiting for the pharmacist who dispenses them some of them, and the rest of their medicines are separated in new prescriptions to be dispensed from the insurance pharmacies, if any. Blood thinners and thrombotic solvents, some pressure medications, multiple sclerosis medications, stomach ulcer and thyroid medications, sugar, antibiotics, vitamins, Parkinson ’ s medications, and hyperactivity protocol.
Many cases complained of the lack of their medicines, which they have been dispensing for years.. And they were dispensed periodically every two months for a year after the approval of the Drug Committee to dispense those medicines, including a special medicine liquidity imported medicines, and patients with diabetes and blood diseases were their complaint that any imported medicine and its price expensive requires the highest approval of a committee in the Council of Ministers..
Although patients have been dispensing the same medication for several years, this complaint is frequent from universal health insurance patients.
Detention of raw materials
Dr. Ali Auf, head of the pharmaceutical division of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, said that the reason for the worsening of the shortage of medicines is the detention of raw materials in ports, pointing out that there are about 1000 items that are not available.
Exchange rate
Mahmoud Fouad, Executive Director of the Right to Medicine Association, said that the aggravation of the crisis is due to the companies stockpiling medicines in anticipation of higher prices, explaining that the crisis began about two years ago due to the shortage of raw materials as a result of the high exchange rate and the inability of companies to provide dollar materials to import raw materials.
Fouad stressed that there are more than 1000 drugs whose prices rose during the past year by rates ranging from 25% to 60%, pointing out that the increase reached during the current days to 60% for the local and 80% for the importer.
Fouad described the statements of the Minister of Health about the price of Egyptian medicine as being 50 times lower than abroad as shocking, pointing out that there was a successive movement of prices from the Drug Pricing Committee of the Egyptian Drug Authority starting in 2023, which resulted in the movement of about 1,000 varieties.
He explained that Egypt suffered during the last two years from the phenomenon of medicine shortage due to the shortage of imported raw materials as a result of the economic crisis and the fluctuation of the exchange rate … and the crisis affected items considered life-saving.
Fouad stressed that drug sales in Egypt reached about $3 billion a year in 2023 without the sales of the armed forces and the interior and tenders of the Ministry of Health, which means that Egypt is considered the largest market in the region.
Unfair pricing system
He explained that Egypt had been subject to the pricing of medicines for 10 years according to the decision of the Minister of Health under the system of "lower pricing for neighboring countries" and then the pricing was according to the decision 413 of 1991, which is "calculating the cost and profit margin for companies and distribution and then pharmacies" according to the compulsory pricing that began in 1988.
He explained that the pricing is according to the cheapest price in the reference countries identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 36 countries to guide their prices and the minister to take them or not, pointing out that these countries are the major industrial countries and have comprehensive health insurance laws, which Egypt lacks.
Fouad added that this system in pricing is unfair as medicine has become subject to market mechanisms, supply and demand and suspicions of monopoly, the price is controlled by the policy of supply and demand, which makes medicine a commodity sold to those who can, especially since there are more than millions of Egyptian people not participating in the health insurance system, which only 63% of citizens participate.
Fouad pointed out that Egypt has about 17 officially registered medicines, 90% of which are manufactured, 176 companies that own factories, 7 business sector companies, 22 branches of foreign companies and 1,200 commercial companies that do not own a factory.
He stressed that the crisis of medicine shortage and successive rises will make the Egyptian citizen groaning and unable to bear it.
Fouad warned of the danger of the expected increases in drug prices during the coming period.

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Health Insurance Department: Most of the new list of missing drugs is included in the price range
2023 / 2 / 25 14: 26 (Updated 2 / 25 14: 45)
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Lack of medicine is frequent, recently extended from the community pharmacy to the hospital, the National Health Insurance Department pointed out on the 25th, after comparing the medical profession to introduce a new list of shortage of drugs, most of them are not included in the adjustment.
(Image taken from Pixabay library)
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(Central News Agency reporter Shen Peiyao, Taipei, 25) The shortage of medicines has been frequently reported, and it has recently been extended from community pharmacies to hospitals.
The Health Insurance Department pointed out today that after comparing the list of new medicines in the medical sector, most of them are not adjusted, and some are machine and freight problems, and supply has been resumed gradually.
According to the "Drug Expenses Target System", the Central Health Insurance Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare adjusts the budget of health insurance drugs every year.
Due to the COVID-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, the health insurance drug budget has not been adjusted for two years, and the combined adjustment amount of 110 and 111 is NT $8.18 billion. The original plan was announced yesterday and took effect on April 1, but it was temporarily cancelled.
Health Insurance Commissioner Shi Chongliang yesterday said that the current health insurance contains about 14,000 drugs, the original has been good, is expected to adjust 6009 of them, the remaining 8000 do not adjust, because the medical sector also proposed a number of drugs to obtain difficulties, has brought back the list, but also need a little time to re-examine and calculate, so the announcement was postponed.
Chen Yu-ying, deputy secretary general of the All Federation of Pharmacists Association, said in a telephone interview today that although there is no complete shutdown, the manufacturers will have a slight control on the supply volume, and there is no way to supply the full amount.
Chen Yuying said that in a large hospital, a total of about 34 drugs need to be replaced by other brands, and the supply of the most is only the usual 70 to 80%, including antibiotics "amoxicillin" (Ampicillin), Ampicillin (Ampicillin), etc., as well as anti-allergic drugs, blood pressure drugs, and muscle relaxants for intubation during surgery.
The biggest headache for hospitals is the shortage of anticoagulant drugs.
Chen Yuying said that there are other drugs that can be replaced by oral drugs, but there is only one manufacturer of anticoagulants, one formulation, and another brand will have to be replaced when stocks are exhausted. The mechanism of the drug is not the same, "There is no substitute at all in the clinic, but there is a change in the way."
In response to the shortage of medicines in the hospital, Huang Yu-wen, head of the medical audit and pharmaceutical section of the National Health Insurance Administration, explained that when he communicated with representatives of the medical community on the relevant issues yesterday, the Taiwan Community Hospital Association provided 58 items of shortage drugs, and compared, most of the drugs have not been adjusted in the principle of drug price adjustment.
As for a small number of drugs that are not included in the scope of adjustment, Huang Yu-wen says that most of them are three identical products (the same ingredients, dosage, and content) that have been accepted by Health Insurance for more than 15 years, or have other alternatives for the same indications, and some of the shortage of drugs is due to short-term production problems, such as drug packaging machine failures and shipping delays.
Huang Yuwen said that the initial assessment of medical representatives to put forward a new list of shortage of drugs, does not affect the current price adjustment, will still be announced on March 1. At present, health insurance has received about 14,000 drugs, of which 6009 items, 8.18 billion yuan is expected to be adjusted. (Editor: Li Hengshan) 1120225
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The US faced a 30% increase in medicine shortages in 2022 compared to 2021, with an average shortage lasting 18 months and some lasting up to 15 years.

Antibiotics, anesthetics, and cheap cancer drugs were among the affected medications in the US, with economic factors and opaque supply chains contributing to the shortages.

In Egypt, patients with chronic diseases suffered due to a lack of essential drugs, including insulin, blood thinners, and cancer treatments, with over 1000 drugs experiencing price increases ranging from 25% to 60% in 2023.

The FDA reported that 111 drugs were out of stock in the US in 2021, including digoxin injection and dacarbazine, with production problems and quality issues causing some shortages.

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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Sterile injectable generic drugs, chemotherapy drugs, and central nervous system stimulants were among the most vulnerable to shortages, with more than half of treatment shortages lasting over two years.

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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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The health insurance system in Egypt only covered 63% of citizens, exacerbating the medication shortage crisis, while in the US, 80% of active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturers were overseas, contributing to supply chain disruptions.

Hospitals and pharmacies worldwide, including in Ireland and Estonia, faced shortages of medications such as paracetamol, antibiotics, and ADHD medication, with raw material shortages, manufacturing difficulties, and industry consolidations contributing to the shortages.

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Content: Lubbock pharmacies struggling to keep important medication on the shelves

Shortage of antibiotics, cough syrup, and allergy medication
Published: Dec. 8, 2022 at 9:42 PM CST|Updated: 21 minutes ago

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - With more people getting sick this season, some pharmacies are having trouble keeping important medications in stock.

Soon, it may be hard to find simple things like antibiotics and cough medicine.

This can be a scary thought for a parent with a sick kid at home. Kelsie Hatchett is the mother of 4-year-old Briggs. Briggs has had strep at least three times this year. Kelsie says the thought of not being able to get what she needs in the future is scary.

“It seems like every day you’re hearing of another friend or family member who is sick and they’ve either got flu, they’ve got RSV, COVID, and respiratory illness,” Hatchett said. “So, it is a scary thing him getting sick and maybe he didn’t tolerate it as well that time.”

Jerad Thornhill is the owner of Thornhill’s Pharmacy’s in Shallowater and Lubbock. Antibiotics, cough medicines, and allergy medicines are flying off the shelves in his stores. He says on top of the high demand, all of these items are on back order.

“It’s been a real struggle to fulfill the majority of the prescriptions that are coming in for patients that are actively sick,” Thornhill said.

Trying to restock the shelves, Thornhill says he frequently checks with suppliers to see if anything is in stock. Then, checks with providers to find something comparable.

“Typically, we’re able to get someone taken care of that route,” Thornhill said. “The other option is a lot of times if something else is available we may have to order it and get it in for the next day.”

Every time you hear more sneezing and coughing around town, Thornhill says pharmacies experience shortages, but it’s never been like this.

“But for whatever reason this year it seems like it’s been, I don’t know if it’s still supply chain issues from COVID, or what it might be, but it’s this year in particular it seems to be quite a struggle,” Thornhill said.

Thornhill says there could be more than one problem affecting medicine making it to the stores.

“I think it’s a combination of supply chain and there are starting to be fewer and fewer manufacturers making some of these medications,” Thornhill said.

Kelsie is mom to Briggs, but she’s also a nurse. She says it’s important to make sure you absolutely need antibiotics before getting them so patients in the hospital have access.

“Now more than ever, it is important for us to take care of our bodies and really focus on letting them use those natural defenses to preserve those medications,” Hatchett said.

Hatchett says she understands wanting to treat children immediately; she shares that feeling as well, but she says it’s important to preserve that medication for everyone.

Thornhill says it’s not just cold and flu medications that are a problem currently. He says stores are low on ADHD medication and blood pressure medication as well.

Cancer drug shortages affected 10% to 20% of all cancer patients, with 93% of academic cancer centers reporting shortages of carboplatin and 70%