A record 323 drug shortages in 2024 have affected at least half a million patients.

In the US, 32 chemotherapy drugs are currently in shortage as of 2024.

More than half of central nervous system stimulant treatment shortages last over two years.

A shortage typically affects over half a million patients, mainly due to manufacturing and quality issues.

Supply chain gaps, downtime, and lack of transparency contribute to shortages.

France reported 4,925 drug shortages in 2023, affecting 44% of the population by 2024.

The EU proposed a 180-day limit on drug evaluations amid pharmaceutical companies' lack of transparency on shortages.

In 2021, 111 US drugs were out of stock, prompting FDA monitoring.

80% of active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturers are overseas, causing production and quality issues.

Sixty percent of pharmacies face supply chain disruptions that block medicine shipments.

A global antibiotic shortage has been reported, with 28 of 35 countries lacking penicillin-type drugs.

The US and Canada are facing an amoxicillin shortage amid decreased pharmaceutical company profits due to high energy prices.

The US reported a record 323 drug shortages in 2021, surpassing the previous record of 320 in 2014.

There is a shortage of sterile injectable and chemotherapy drugs.

The US is experiencing shortages of emergency medicines and ADHD treatments.

A 2024 medication crisis occurred amid a global pharmaceutical market worth around $1.5 trillion.

The Arab pharmaceutical market is worth around $38 billion, amid shortages in 27 European countries since 2022.

Drug losses include 500 in Tunisia, 1000 in Egypt, and 2000 in Turkey, while Jordan's pharmaceutical market is worth $1.3 billion.

The EU plans to implement a voluntary solidarity mechanism to address medicine shortages.

Most countries reported worsening drug shortages in 2022, with the EU relying heavily on imports from China and India.

Rising demand and supply chain disruption are worsening medicine shortages, prompting France to encourage reshoring with new factories.

China fully addressed 2023 drug shortage reports and improved its national shortage drug classification system.

Stable drug prices and monitoring of shortages were addressed.

A global syringe shortage is possible by 2023, with a predicted shortage of one billion injections in 2022.

The global manufacturing capacity is six billion injections per year, with reusable syringes not recommended.

India's pharma exports grew 10.45% in May 2023, making it the world's third-largest drugmaker by volume.

The US accounts for 30% of India's pharma exports, driven by its own drug shortages.

Medicine shortage has increased globally over 10 years due to pharmaceutical industry economics.

Low margins for non-patent medicines have led to production shifting to low-wage countries like China or India.

The EU-level drug reserve was proposed to prevent global medicine disappearance.

Supply chains must be secured to address the medicine shortage in European countries condemned by pediatricians.

Hospitals face medicine supply gaps, with 99% of pharmacists reporting shortages of 309 drugs.

One in three health systems delay or ration care due to shortages, with the FDA allowing overseas import of chemotherapy drugs.

Over a dozen cancer drugs, including cisplatin and carboplatin, are in shortage, affecting 93% of cancer centers.

Egypt's government is urged to address shortages by developing local raw materials industries to save currency.

Government incentives can help establish pharmaceutical factories, reducing import bills and shortages.

Legislation and incentives are needed to govern medicine distribution, pricing, and local production.

In Nigeria, pharmaceutical companies like GSK are leaving and essential medicines are being hoarded.

Nigeria has exceptionally high drug prices due to the Naira's depreciation.

Patients are abandoning treatments due to high drug prices and local makers' reliance on imported materials.

German pediatricians warn of deviations from therapeutic guidelines due to a shortage of children's medicines.

The proposed law may raise baby medicine prices amid existing shortages.

The pharmaceutical industry and unstable overseas supply chains contribute to shortages.

The Ministry of Health plans to establish a "shortage of drugs center" after Taiwan successfully set floor prices for prescription drugs.

The National Health Insurance Administration is reviewing the DET calculation formula, which may burden the medical sector.

Pharmaceutical companies claim health insurance prices are insufficient, and drug shortages include antibiotics and acid-making agents.

The EU is facing significant medicine shortages, especially for antibiotics and pediatric drugs, due to high demand and low production capacity.

The shortages have been exacerbated by inflation, energy prices, and raw material shortages affecting production.

Some EU countries are addressing shortages by selling generics and altering formulations, like offering syrups instead of tablets.

The European Commission will present revised pharmaceutical legislation in March, including stricter supply rules and improved public notification.

The EU has proposed a voluntary mechanism to access an EU-funded stockpile of medicines in emergencies.

The mechanism involves joint drug procurement and medicine swaps with southern hemisphere countries, starting in 2024.

A Critical Medicines Alliance is to be established in 2024, with guidance on national stockpiles to follow.

The voluntary solidarity mechanism is set for approval on October 25.

The EU plans to revise its pharmaceutical regulation to make medicines more affordable and combat antimicrobial resistance.

The European Medicines Strategy, launched in 2020, aims to create a patient-centered environment with timely access to medicines.

The European Commission is working to remove bureaucratic obstacles to help the EU industry innovate and thrive.

Nineteen EU countries propose reducing dependence on China for pharmaceuticals, which supplies over 50% of the EU's active ingredients.

The EU plans to tighten controls on key drugs and monitor availability to avoid shortages.

The EU is creating a strategic supply of scarce drugs and obliging manufacturers to guarantee supply.

The European Commission is introducing a law to ensure patient access to medicines with stricter supplier obligations and earlier shortage notifications.

The US faces significant medicine shortages, mostly affecting generic drugs, which account for 90 percent of prescriptions.

The nation's prescription drug shortage list has over 250 medications, marking 2023 as the worst year in about a decade.

Prescription drug shortages, often due to manufacturing and quality issues, can lead to a 16.6 percent increase in drug prices.

Alternative drugs can be three times higher in price, so checking the national drug shortage list for alternatives is essential.

Refilling prescriptions early and using websites like GoodRX can help avoid shortages and find cheaper medication options.

In the first three months of 2024, 323 drugs were in shortage across all drug classes.

Sterile injectable generic drugs are the most worrisome shortages, mainly due to manufacturing and quality problems.

Supply chain gaps and downtime contribute to shortages affecting at least half a million patients.

Most treatment shortages last over two years due to a lack of transparency.

Requiring manufacturers to disclose suppliers can help prevent shortages caused by FDA inspections and factory closures.

French health groups propose transparency from pharmaceutical companies to address drug shortages and rising prices.

Fourteen civil society organisations proposed solutions to address 4,925 drug shortages reported in France in 2023.

The European Commission announced measures requiring EU pharmaceutical companies to hold safety stocks of medicine.

The Ministry proposed a strategy to address medicine shortages, including five coping mechanisms.

The Ministry aims to ensure a stable drug supply with alternative drugs at the same or lower price.

A record 323 drug shortages in 2024 have affected at least half a million patients.

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

In the US, 32 chemotherapy drugs are currently in shortage as of 2024.

More than half of central nervous system stimulant treatment shortages last over two years.

A shortage typically affects over half a million patients, mainly due to manufacturing and quality issues.

Supply chain gaps, downtime, and lack of transparency contribute to shortages.

France reported 4,925 drug shortages in 2023, affecting 44% of the population by 2024.

Title:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Some changes at the EU level criticised

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The EU proposed a 180-day limit on drug evaluations amid pharmaceutical companies' lack of transparency on shortages.

In 2021, 111 US drugs were out of stock, prompting FDA monitoring.

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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80% of active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturers are overseas, causing production and quality issues.

Sixty percent of pharmacies face supply chain disruptions that block medicine shipments.

A global antibiotic shortage has been reported, with 28 of 35 countries lacking penicillin-type drugs.

Title:

Content: Experts have recorded a shortage of antibiotics in the world due to the increase in the number of infectious diseases.
On December 21, writes the Financial Times with reference to the head of the group of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the supply of medicines and ensuring access to them Lisa Hedman, reports Day.Az.
Twenty-eight of the 35 countries for which WHO collects data are deficient in penicillin-type drugs.
In the United States and Canada complained about the lack of amoxicillin.
Less is known about the situation in poor or small countries, according to Hedman.
It is noted that in addition to the difficulties experienced by pharmaceutical manufacturers in the pandemic, the current situation is complicated by high energy prices, and this leads to a decrease in profits of companies.
In addition, countries, according to Hedman, did not expect that in the first year without masks, respiratory infections would hit the population so hard.
In addition to antibiotics, pharmacists also complain about the lack of painkillers, drugs for tuberculosis and drugs for skin infections.

The US and Canada are facing an amoxicillin shortage amid decreased pharmaceutical company profits due to high energy prices.

Title:

Content: Experts have recorded a shortage of antibiotics in the world due to the increase in the number of infectious diseases.
On December 21, writes the Financial Times with reference to the head of the group of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the supply of medicines and ensuring access to them Lisa Hedman, reports Day.Az.
Twenty-eight of the 35 countries for which WHO collects data are deficient in penicillin-type drugs.
In the United States and Canada complained about the lack of amoxicillin.
Less is known about the situation in poor or small countries, according to Hedman.
It is noted that in addition to the difficulties experienced by pharmaceutical manufacturers in the pandemic, the current situation is complicated by high energy prices, and this leads to a decrease in profits of companies.
In addition, countries, according to Hedman, did not expect that in the first year without masks, respiratory infections would hit the population so hard.
In addition to antibiotics, pharmacists also complain about the lack of painkillers, drugs for tuberculosis and drugs for skin infections.

The US reported a record 323 drug shortages in 2021, surpassing the previous record of 320 in 2014.

Title:

Content: American Pharmacists Association Announces Record Shortages of All Types of Medicines in U.S.
World News
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The American Pharmacists Association has expressed concern about the record shortage of all types of drugs in the United States, calling on politicians to take action.
A statement posted on the association ’ s website said: “In the first half of this year, 323 active drug shortages were recorded.
It is a record higher than the previous record of 320 in 2014.
“At the federal level, significant work needs to be done to eliminate the root causes of drug shortages. ”
The statement added that particular concern was raised by the lack of sterile injectable drugs, including chemotherapy drugs for cancer and emergency medicines stored in hospital treatment rooms.
Another serious problem is the ongoing lack of treatment methods for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the country.
Source: Novosti
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There is a shortage of sterile injectable and chemotherapy drugs.

Title:

Content: American Pharmacists Association Announces Record Shortages of All Types of Medicines in U.S.
World News
Copy Link https: / / en.rt.com / xcc5
The American Pharmacists Association has expressed concern about the record shortage of all types of drugs in the United States, calling on politicians to take action.
A statement posted on the association ’ s website said: “In the first half of this year, 323 active drug shortages were recorded.
It is a record higher than the previous record of 320 in 2014.
“At the federal level, significant work needs to be done to eliminate the root causes of drug shortages. ”
The statement added that particular concern was raised by the lack of sterile injectable drugs, including chemotherapy drugs for cancer and emergency medicines stored in hospital treatment rooms.
Another serious problem is the ongoing lack of treatment methods for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the country.
Source: Novosti
Agree.
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The US is experiencing shortages of emergency medicines and ADHD treatments.

Title:

Content: American Pharmacists Association Announces Record Shortages of All Types of Medicines in U.S.
World News
Copy Link https: / / en.rt.com / xcc5
The American Pharmacists Association has expressed concern about the record shortage of all types of drugs in the United States, calling on politicians to take action.
A statement posted on the association ’ s website said: “In the first half of this year, 323 active drug shortages were recorded.
It is a record higher than the previous record of 320 in 2014.
“At the federal level, significant work needs to be done to eliminate the root causes of drug shortages. ”
The statement added that particular concern was raised by the lack of sterile injectable drugs, including chemotherapy drugs for cancer and emergency medicines stored in hospital treatment rooms.
Another serious problem is the ongoing lack of treatment methods for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the country.
Source: Novosti
Agree.
This website uses cookies. You can read the terms of use to activate this feature by clicking here

A 2024 medication crisis occurred amid a global pharmaceutical market worth around $1.5 trillion.

Title:

Content: Thursday 18-07-2024
Medication crisis in regional markets.
The Jordan Golden Box
The history of the pharmaceutical industry dates back to the Middle Ages, where the first Islamic pharmaceutical store was established in Baghdad in 754, while the Arab pharmaceutical industry dates back to 1938, where the first Arab pharmaceutical industry was established in Egypt, followed by Syria in 1956, Jordan in 1960, Saudi Arabia and the Arab Gulf countries in 1980.
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In the 19th century, pharmaceutical industries developed in Europe and America, and in the 1950s, the development of industries began to develop a more sophisticated scientific and systematic approach until the introduction of innovative pharmaceutical, biological and biological analogs, including vaccines, in addition to the recent introduction of artificial intelligence in manufacturing, production and marketing and all components of the health system.
Most Arab pharmaceutical industries have not been able to enter this field due to the high cost and lack of infrastructure sometimes and their dependence on the production of sexual and similar products in addition to flooding the markets with similar products by local companies. In the future, most pharmaceutical industries will continue to enter this field as it is the most important element of progress and the gate of scientific and technical investment.
It is worth mentioning that the size of the global pharmaceutical market is about 1.5 trillion dollars, while the size of the Arab pharmaceutical market is about 38 billion dollars, the Gulf is about 18 billion dollars, the Saudi market is the largest with about 9.2 billion dollars and the UAE 4.5 billion dollars, while the size of the Turkish market is 33 billion dollars, the African 100 billion dollars and the Egyptian about 8 billion dollars. Pharmaceuticals from various European and American companies, which account for more than 65% of the global market share, and a quick look at the volume of investment in the pharmaceutical sector in Turkey, where the volume of investment in the pharmaceutical sector is 6 billion dollars through 760 pharmaceutical factories and 11 factories of raw materials.
In Egypt, where the volume of investment in the pharmaceutical sector is 3 billion dollars, there are 191 factories, 799 production lines, hundreds of manufacturers, 81 thousand pharmacies and 1200 pharmaceutical warehouses. In Saudi Arabia, where she leads a major campaign to encourage and localize investments in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries and focuses on research and development. The UAE is also working to promote investment in the pharmaceutical sector inside and outside the country, where the volume of the pharmaceutical market is close to $4 billion.
In the past years, the pharmaceutical authorities in more than 27 European countries reported a shortage and loss of medicines and the crisis has extended since 2022 and worsened in the other two years to reach the neighboring markets in Egypt, Turkey and Lebanon, where more than 500 drugs have been lost in Tunisia, 1000 drugs in the Egyptian market and 2000 drugs in the Turkish market. Supply and demand are dead, or regional instability and refugee flows.
Drug security is an essential component of a country ’ s national security system.
Although some countries have moved to take protective measures to ensure the drug reaches those who deserve it, the series of drug outages has remained a nightmare for their governments and could last for five years.
Locally, the Jordanian pharmaceutical market is about 1.3 billion, and the volume of employment in the pharmaceutical sector is about 35,000, and the volume of foreign investment is modest, not exceeding $100 million.
In Jordan, the most prestigious country in the pharmaceutical industry, which began since 1960 without interruption, and the Jordanian medicine gained consumer confidence and was able to enter more than eighty Arab and international pharmaceutical markets, where there are 23 factories, 61 production lines, 4000 pharmacies and 500 pharmaceutical warehouses.
In spite of the regional circumstances, the Jordanian pharmaceutical market remained stable as a result of the golden box, which is represented by the prudent government procedures in dealing with the refugee file and the Corona pandemic, the stability of the legislative environment, the modernization of the investment environment legislation and the continuous official support for local industries. Keeping pace with global developments and meet attracting more investments and the needs of the local and regional market to ensure the entry of new investments and work to localize them and not to waste available opportunities and expand the umbrella of reference pricing and review profits in the pharmaceutical sector to facilitate the entry of investments to the local market and simplify procedures and encourage the rational use of medicines. The destruction of infrastructure, the collapse of the health system and the displacement of the people of Gaza, and this requires taking the initiative to complete Jordan's leading and preventive role, especially as Jordan has stability in legislation and transparency in the pharmaceutical sector and move towards localizing more investments in the field of innovative medicines and biotechnologies and building local and international partnerships instead of imitating similar industries.
There is nothing to prevent the entry of sovereign investment funds to the state from entering this field, as these funds do in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
It has become a necessary and important step in the golden box to accelerate the establishment of a platform to lead the transformation in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, build strategic partnerships, introduce artificial intelligence system in the pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical sector, and attract investments to enhance national and regional Arab pharmaceutical security before it is too late.

The Arab pharmaceutical market is worth around $38 billion, amid shortages in 27 European countries since 2022.

Drug losses include 500 in Tunisia, 1000 in Egypt, and 2000 in Turkey, while Jordan's pharmaceutical market is worth $1.3 billion.

The EU plans to implement a voluntary solidarity mechanism to address medicine shortages.

Title:

Content: Brussels is planning for EU countries to share vital medicines and take emergency measures to avoid a repeat of shortages that hit the bloc a year ago.

The European Commission is proposing a “voluntary solidarity mechanism” requested by France and Germany and an early warning system flagging when drugs become scarce, according to draft proposals seen by the Financial Times. If insufficient donors come forward, EU capitals will be allowed to tap into an EU-funded stockpile set up during the Covid-19 pandemic and take other emergency measures.

In December and January western countries suffered a shortage of antibiotics including penicillin and amoxicillin, and painkillers such as paracetamol, especially in medicines used by children.

Among the emergency measures floated to prevent a repeat of that crisis, the commission could allow the extension of a drug’s shelf life, fast track approvals of alternative suppliers and support production increases.

Brussels will also encourage joint procurement of drugs from 2024 and medicine swaps with countries in the southern hemisphere, where peak winter demand happens at a different time.

The commission will draw up guidance for national stockpiles in 2024 and establish a Critical Medicines Alliance bringing governments, industry and civil society together. The commission declined to comment.

Three-quarters of countries reported a worsening of drug shortages in 2022, according to an industry survey. EU manufacturing is heavily reliant on imported active pharmaceutical ingredients from China and India.

Rising demand and disruption to supply chains have been compounded by inflation hitting the production of generic drugs, which typically sell at much lower prices than branded versions.

France has been actively encouraging the reshoring of basic medicine supply, with a giant paracetamol factory set to open in the country next year.

The EU is discussing whether to provide more funding for domestic production.

The commission’s proposal is scheduled to be approved on October 25 and could still change. Initially non-binding, it could lead to a Critical Medicines Act, with Brussels drawing up a list of vital medicines by year-end.

The commission also urges member states and the European parliament to approve its overhaul of pharmaceutical legislation, put forward in April. It includes plans to take control of drug production in the event of a public health emergency, a requirement for stockholders to inform Brussels of supply levels and for manufacturers to give early warnings of shortages.

An analysis by the European Medicines Agency and the commission found that unless there is unexpected demand the EU should avoid an antibiotics shortage this year.

“The information available today suggests that — if demand in the coming winter season does not differ significantly from the demand of recent years — the supply to the EU of key antibiotics seems to generally match demand,” the analysis said.

“However, this depends strongly on the compliance of industry with their legal obligations to ensure supply and their ability to adapt.”

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2023. All rights reserved.
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Most countries reported worsening drug shortages in 2022, with the EU relying heavily on imports from China and India.

Rising demand and supply chain disruption are worsening medicine shortages, prompting France to encourage reshoring with new factories.

China fully addressed 2023 drug shortage reports and improved its national shortage drug classification system.

Title:

Content: 【 Printing 】
2023 shortage of drugs reported information has been fully dealt with
Related LINKS http: / / www.CRNT.com 2024-03-14 15: 33: 32
Beijing, March 14 / Xinhua News Agency reported that the reporter learned from the National Health and Health Commission on the 13th, the national, provincial, municipal and county four shortage drug classification system gradually improved and effective operation, 2023 shortage drug reporting information has been fully addressed, and the temporary import work of clinically urgent drugs is done.
It is understood that in the near future, the national and provincial shortage of drug supply guarantee work will discuss the mechanism of various units to ensure the supply of stable prices as the focus, and continue to improve the classification of shortage of drugs to deal with the ability to deal with, multi-dimensional improvement of shortage of drug information monitoring.
The National Health and Health Commission relies on the national public medical and health institutions shortage of drug information direct reporting system and other monitoring conditions to carry out monitoring and early warning and regular reporting.
The State Medical Insurance Bureau continuously monitors the national shortage list of drugs and clinically necessary drugs that are vulnerable to shortage, focusing on the abnormal high prices and distribution data of the listed drugs.
The National Drug Administration continues to collect information on the production supply and shutdown reports of shortage of pharmaceutical products.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology relies on the shortage drug production supply monitoring and early warning platform to carry out dynamic monitoring and analysis.
The Ministry of Commerce organized some large pharmaceutical wholesale and retail enterprises to pay close attention to the supply and demand situation of pharmaceutical products.
At the same time, the whole chain guarantees the stable supply of shortage drugs.
The National Drug Administration continues to promote the review and approval of national shortage drug list varieties, and carries out the basic information labeling and data management of shortage drugs.
The State Medical and Health Insurance Bureau fully implements the policy of online procurement of shortage drugs, and explores the centralized procurement of shortage drugs.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology continues to support the construction of centralized production bases for small varieties of drugs, and establish regular shortages of drugs at the central and local levels.
The Ministry of Ecology and Environment takes flexible enforcement action to help enterprises rectify the situation in a timely manner if the environment of the enterprises involved in the production of pharmaceutical raw materials or preparations violates the law.
The SASAC of the State Council continues to promote state-owned enterprises to fulfill their social responsibilities in the supply of shortage drugs and play the function of "cistern".
The National Post Office continues to promote the construction of a comprehensive postal service platform, supporting the postal group to give full play to its network advantages and continuously improve its medical distribution service capabilities.
In addition, strengthen the enforcement of illegal acts.
The General Administration of Market Supervision investigates and punishes illegal acts such as monopoly in the field of pharmaceutical products according to law, and plays a warning and education role in major typical cases.
The General Administration of Taxation further increased the investigation and punishment of tax violations by some pharmaceutical enterprises, and standardized the tax order in the pharmaceutical field.
According to the clues of the problem and illegal facts, the National Medical Insurance Bureau talked about the relevant pharmaceutical companies to reduce the level of drug prices involved, and block the chain of benefits of manufacturing shortages and monopoly price increases.
【 Printing 】
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Stable drug prices and monitoring of shortages were addressed.

A global syringe shortage is possible by 2023, with a predicted shortage of one billion injections in 2022.

Title:

Content: COVID-19 pandemic highlights global shortage of syringes
9 November 2021
Efforts to boost production of COVID-19 vaccines must be coupled with access to the needles needed to inject those vaccines – and there could be a global shortage of needles for regular immunization campaigns next year, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday.
Based on a scenario in which about seven billion people need two doses of the coronavirus vaccine between now and 2023, the U.N. health agency said a shortage of at least one billion injections “could happen ” if their manufacturing rate does not rise.
Lisa Hedman, a senior adviser at the World Health Organization ’ s Access to Medicines and Health Products division, has warned that a generation of children could miss their scheduled vaccination doses unless manufacturers find a way to make more disposable injections.
No room for shortcuts.
“When you think about how many injections are being given to respond to a pandemic, this is not a place where we can afford shortcuts, shortages or anything less than complete safety for patients and healthcare staff. ”
She told reporters in Geneva that more than 6.8 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines are administered globally each year, nearly double the number of routine vaccinations given each year:
“Shortage of injections is unfortunately a real possibility and here are some additional figures.
"Global manufacturing capacity is around six billion per year for vaccination injections, it is quite clear that a deficit in 2022 of more than one billion could occur if we continue business as usual."
Ms Hedman explained that it is not recommended to reuse the syringes even after they have been sterilized, as harmful bacteria are still present.
She also noted that injections are particularly vulnerable to transport delays because they occupy 10 times the area of the vaccine.
The Urgent Need to Intensify Footage
Meanwhile, the heads of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank Group, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) held a follow-up session to the high-level consultations with CEOs of leading Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers on Tuesday.
At the meeting, according to a press release, all participants agreed that more doses of the vaccine should be provided to low-income countries, where less than 2.5 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated.
The objective of the meeting was to determine how to ensure a more equitable distribution of vaccines and all participants pledged to continue working together to obtain greater clarity on donations, vaccine swaps and delivery schedules, so that the distribution of life-saving vaccines is more effective towards countries in greatest need.
The meeting of the Multilateral Leaders Task Force on COVID-19 built on the technical work carried out by multidisciplinary teams during September and October.
During the consultations, the heads of the four organizations and CEOs examined how best to address trade-related constraints; how to improve the donation process; what additional steps are needed to reach the 40 per cent vaccination target in all countries by the end of the year; and how to improve transparency and data sharing with the IMF, WHO and Multilateral Leaders Task Force vaccine supply forecasting dashboard.
This effort will require close collaboration between manufacturers, governments and the Kovacs International Initiative, on improved delivery schedules, especially for donated doses.
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The global manufacturing capacity is six billion injections per year, with reusable syringes not recommended.

India's pharma exports grew 10.45% in May 2023, making it the world's third-largest drugmaker by volume.

Title:

Content: Begin typing your search above and press return to search.

India's pharma exports clock double-digit growth amid surging demand in US, UK

By IANS

New Delhi, June 18: India’s pharmaceutical exports continue to register double-digit growth, reflecting the strong demand for the country’s affordable generic medicines in global markets led by the USA and UK.

India’s pharma exports grew by 10.45 per cent in May this year to touch the $2.3 billion mark compared with the $2.08 billion in the same month of the previous financial year. “It is moving in a positive way and we are optimistic of sustaining growth of not less than 10 per cent,” Director General, Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India, Ravi Uday Bhaskar said on the quick estimate numbers released last week by the Centre.

India is now the world's third-largest drugmaker by volume amid the growing demand for the country’s pharmaceutical products in export markets. The US is a key market, which accounts for about 30 per cent of India's annual pharma exports after a nearly 16 per cent increase in fiscal 2024, according to Pharmexcil.

The country's drug shortages as well as the increased use of drugs for lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and depression is expected to fuel the demand for India's affordably priced drugs, according to Bhaskar.

According to a report by India Ratings and Research, Indian drugmakers will sustain their revenue improvement in 2024-2025 due to drug shortages in the United States. India is a hub of bulk generic drug manufacturing and drugmakers including Dr Reddy's, Cipla, Sun Pharma derive a significant share of revenue from both the US and Europe.

The world's largest drug market is facing decade-high drug shortages, India Ratings said in a note citing data from with Utah Drug Information Service. There is an active shortage of 233 drugs across 22 therapeutic categories as of April, led mainly by discontinuing production of some drugs, rising demand and delays in shipments, it said, also citing data from the US Food and Drug Administration.

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The US accounts for 30% of India's pharma exports, driven by its own drug shortages.

Medicine shortage has increased globally over 10 years due to pharmaceutical industry economics.

Title:

Content: The Chairman of the World Medical Association (WMA) Frank Ulrich Montgomery, against the background of a shortage of certain types of drugs, called for the creation of a pan-European reserve of medicines.
This opinion he expressed in an interview published on Monday to the media group Funke, reports Day.Az with reference to TASS.
Montgomery noted that the shortage of medicines has been increasing for more than 10 years.
“The reason is misplaced economic incentives for the pharmaceutical industry, ” he said.
“For consumer goods that are not subject to patent protection, margins are estimated to be low, ‘ big pharmaceuticals ’ are no longer interested in these drugs and are shifting production to low-wage countries such as China or India.
If there is a factory burned down, the main substance is lost or there are defects in quality - suddenly the medicine will disappear all over the world, "said the head of the WMA.
A reserve of drugs at EU level as a “commitment to the pharmaceutical industry controlled and managed by the state and the medical community, ” according to Montgomery, should be created immediately.
In addition, politicians should return production sites to Europe with appropriate economic conditions.
Supply chains must be legally secured by several drug manufacturers.
Last week, pediatricians from several European countries wrote a letter to their health ministers condemning the shortage of medicines.
The German Ministry of Health recently officially announced a shortage of juices with antibiotics for children - this means that import rules can be relaxed.
The World Medical Association is an international organization, which includes more than 100 national associations of doctors, including the Russian one.
It is engaged in the development of ethical standards in medical activities, mandatory for doctors of all countries.
The association was established in 1947.

Low margins for non-patent medicines have led to production shifting to low-wage countries like China or India.

The EU-level drug reserve was proposed to prevent global medicine disappearance.

Supply chains must be secured to address the medicine shortage in European countries condemned by pediatricians.

Hospitals face medicine supply gaps, with 99% of pharmacists reporting shortages of 309 drugs.

Title:

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

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

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

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

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

Cancer drug shortages

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Steroids, hormonal drugs also in short supply

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

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

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

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

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

One in three health systems delay or ration care due to shortages, with the FDA allowing overseas import of chemotherapy drugs.

Over a dozen cancer drugs, including cisplatin and carboplatin, are in shortage, affecting 93% of cancer centers.

Egypt's government is urged to address shortages by developing local raw materials industries to save currency.

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.
Request for a briefing in Parliament on the Government's plan to address the shortage of medicines
MP Mahmoud Qassem, member of the House of Representatives, called on the government of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly in general and Minister of Health and Population Dr. Khaled Abed Al-Ghaffar to develop an urgent plan to address the acute shortage of medicines, pointing out that Dr. Ashraf Hatem, Chairman of the Health Committee of the House of Representatives, revealed a shortage of up to 40% of Egyptian medicines in the Egyptian market.
In a briefing request submitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Hanafi Jabali, to direct him to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health and Population about the real reasons behind the arrival of the shortage of medicines to 40%, pointing out that the problem is not in the large increases in the prices of medicines, but in the lack of availability due to the import of raw materials that enter the pharmaceutical industries.
MP Mahmoud Kassem also asked why the government does not develop plans to establish more raw materials industries projects in the pharmaceutical industries inside Egypt instead of importing them from abroad to save hard currency and reduce the import bill.
He called on the government to provide all incentives to establish a number of factories and companies manufacturing pharmaceutical raw materials with the expansion of local manufacturing of medicines and medical supplies in order to face the current crisis in the future.

Government incentives can help establish pharmaceutical factories, reducing import bills and 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.
Request for a briefing in Parliament on the Government's plan to address the shortage of medicines
MP Mahmoud Qassem, member of the House of Representatives, called on the government of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly in general and Minister of Health and Population Dr. Khaled Abed Al-Ghaffar to develop an urgent plan to address the acute shortage of medicines, pointing out that Dr. Ashraf Hatem, Chairman of the Health Committee of the House of Representatives, revealed a shortage of up to 40% of Egyptian medicines in the Egyptian market.
In a briefing request submitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Hanafi Jabali, to direct him to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health and Population about the real reasons behind the arrival of the shortage of medicines to 40%, pointing out that the problem is not in the large increases in the prices of medicines, but in the lack of availability due to the import of raw materials that enter the pharmaceutical industries.
MP Mahmoud Kassem also asked why the government does not develop plans to establish more raw materials industries projects in the pharmaceutical industries inside Egypt instead of importing them from abroad to save hard currency and reduce the import bill.
He called on the government to provide all incentives to establish a number of factories and companies manufacturing pharmaceutical raw materials with the expansion of local manufacturing of medicines and medical supplies in order to face the current crisis in the future.

Legislation and incentives are needed to govern medicine distribution, pricing, and local production.

Title:

Content: The Egyptian alternative is not available.. and the importer increased 150% search for insulin..
A journey of misery that threatens the lives of diabetic patients
5.
There is no voice louder than the cries of patients who have failed to get their medicine.. The crisis of lack of medicines continues and haunting patients and threatening their lives.. The most prominent shortcomings of insulin.. In the new republic, access to insulin has become a difficult dream.
Insulin disappeared from pharmacies.. The Right to Medicine Association also received many complaints about the lack of insulin in public hospitals and health insurance clinics in the provinces.
Some patients resorted to the ambulance pharmacy in search of insulin, which is dispensed in specific quantities after providing a modern prescription and analysis proving the patient's diabetes, which prompted citizens to crowd in front of the ambulance pharmacy in long queues to buy those shortcomings after they disappeared from all pharmacies.
The lack of insulin prompted a number of patients to share their suffering on the social networking site Facebook and wondered where it was available.
The price of imported insulin pen rose from 62 pounds to 100 pounds and then 150 pounds up to 192 pounds.. The local price reaches 40 pounds, but it is not available only in the ambulance pharmacy and the patient spends one pen after submitting the prescription and a copy of the card and the analysis that proves the disease.
The crisis is not limited to pharmacies and government and university hospitals, but there is a shortage of insulin in health insurance pharmacies.
Many diabetic patients have complained of not being able to dispense their monthly treatment due to the lack of insulin.. The patient also has to pass through many pharmacies on a long journey to dispense his treatment and there are some pharmacies that dispense half the dose only because of the existing shortage.
The government held several meetings to discuss the drug shortage crisis and promised to solve it within a week.
The crisis prompted a number of deputies to submit requests for a briefing in the House of Representatives on the crisis of the shortage of medicines for chronic diseases such as heart, pressure and diabetes … and accused the Unified Procurement Authority and the Ministry of Health of failing to resolve the crisis.
Mohamed Elbahi, consultant of the Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry at the Federation of Industries, said that the shortage of medicines in Egypt is caused by the high prices of raw materials due to the high exchange rate, as most of the raw materials used in the pharmaceutical industry are imported from abroad.
I forgot to solve the crisis in stages so as not to impose a burden on the citizen and expect the end of the crisis of medicine shortages within three months at the latest.
Although Egypt imports a large amount of insulin, the Minister of Health and Population, Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, said in statements that Egypt is a producer of insulin, and local insulin can be used as an alternative to the importer, but it is also not available.
As pointed out by dr.
Alaa Mohamed, a pharmacist, said that there is a prevailing culture among citizens that the importer is the best and despite the high price of imported insulin, but the patient is still looking for him and is not satisfied with the alternative.. There are patients suffering from diabetes for several years and they are accustomed to the importer and it is difficult to replace it with the Egyptian.
Dr. Ali Abdullah, director of the Center for Pharmaceutical Studies, explained that the reason for the shortage of medicines is the inability of the producing companies to bear the difference of money to import raw materials after the rise of the dollar price from 31 pounds to 49 pounds.
He pointed out the need to raise the awareness of citizens and change the prevailing culture that the importer is better than the local. We must educate patients to use alternative medicines because they are much cheaper than the importer, which costs us a lot of money.
He added that it is necessary to enact legislation to prevent the dispensing of medicines without prescription in order to prevent the withdrawal of medicines and their use for purposes other than those specified for them.
On the other hand, Dr. Ali Abdullah called for the need to reconsider the pricing of medicines with not forgetting the social and investment part of companies.. And the citizen to accept the increase in the prices of medicine, and also must control the market of medicines.. There are statements by Minister Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar pointed out that the private sector represents 70% of medicines, and the government has 30%.. Unfortunately there is a large amount of government medicines private hospitals and pharmacies health insurance are leaked For the black market and the citizen does not find evidence in a syringe price of 200 pounds sold for 2000 pounds.. In a drug used in illegal abortion price of 11 pounds is now sold for 200 and 300 pounds although it is private government only.. And on the private level we find abuse in the use of drugs veterinarians sell veterinary drugs with feed..
And gynecologists and obstetricians sell the IUD at times its prices and hormonal injections as well.. Where is the legislation that governs this farce and where is the drug traceability that governs the medicine can.
Dr. Irene Saad, a member of the House of Representatives, pointed out that the reason for the shortage of medicines, especially medicines for chronic diseases, is the decline in the import of raw materials and the tendency of some factories and companies to stop production lines because of the lack of raw materials for the industry due to the high price of the dollar.
She stressed that the role of the state is to pay attention to the factories of the private business sector in the country, which can feed the gap in public hospitals and health insurance, and there is more interest in the city of medicine to serve the national industry, and there is a national strategy to localize the drug industry and rely on local alternatives.
It is possible to agree with the Ministry of Agriculture to provide animal gelatin.. Packaging materials.. Manufacturing these materials locally can save the final cost and reach a fair price for medicines..
Therefore, the state should give incentives to important production lines that fill a deficit.. There must be coordination between the Pharmaceutical Authority and the Ministry of Industry to identify the shortcomings and develop alternative plans to provide them at reasonable prices.
She pointed out that insulin, for example, from medicines should be in stock at least 6 months because of its great importance in providing health care to citizens, and there should be stock for all medicines, especially medicines for chronic diseases.

In Nigeria, pharmaceutical companies like GSK are leaving and essential medicines are being hoarded.

Title:

Content: Health

October 31, 2023

Depreciating Naira value pushes medical care beyond Nigerians

•N1, 170 to US$1 monumental tragedy — PSN President

•Medical supplies priced beyond Nigerians, patients seek alternative care

•Wholesalers, retailers hoard essential life-saving drugs

•Pharmacies record low sales

By Chioma Obinna

It is not the best of times to be sick in Nigeria or to require any form of medical treatment as a result of a disease infection or accident trauma. This is because the continuous free fall of the naira value over the last few years has worsened the already weakened healthcare delivery services in the country.

From the pharmaceutical sector to the healthcare delivery services, Nigeria’s treatment of one ailment or the other has been rendered helpless. Hospitals are also not spared.

Apart from escalating the cost of medicines in Nigeria, its adverse effects on the population leave much to be desired.

The Nigerian pharmaceutical industry is facing significant challenges due to rising drug costs, forcing importers and local manufacturers out of business. Many medicines for common ailments are no longer available, and few are accessible to most Nigerians.

Pharmaceutical companies like GSK are leaving the country, and essential medicines are being hoarded by wholesalers and retailers. The depreciating value of the naira to the dollar, coupled with sky-high inflation, has led to a sharp increase in the cost of importation of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients and APIs, and the importation and manufacturing of finished products at the consumer level.

Currently, Nigeria is rated by the World Health Organisation, WHO, as one of the eight countries in the world with exceptionally exorbitant drug prices.

As you’re reading this article, US$1 is exchanging at the parallel market at N1, 200, as of 24th October 2023, the exchange rate between the naira and the US dollar is about N800, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

Vanguard investigations reveal that the cost of pharmaceutical drugs in Nigeria has increased by over 100 per cent, causing patients to return home without their prescriptions.

Prices for paracetamol, chemotherapeutic treatments, antimalarials, antibiotics, antihistamines, antihypertensives, antidiabetics, and other medications have risen by 200 to 800 percent. This issue is undermining local medicine makers, who rely on imported raw materials. Nigeria, which relies on imports for 70 percent of its medicine needs, may face the worst if immediate action is not taken.

Stakeholders are concerned that the rapid disappearance of pharmaceuticals could lead to a major scarcity of drugs and medicines for disease treatment. Additionally, the cost of medications in Nigeria continues to rise hourly due to the $1 per second increase in the dollar exchange rate.

A Vanguard investigation found that Augmentin, a GSK product for the treatment of infection and pneumonia, is no longer available at a fixed price. The price is now determined by the buyer. Ampiclox, another GSK product that was formerly priced between N500 and N1,000 per sachet, is now priced between N10,000 and N20,000 per sachet, depending on location.

If you can find the medicine to buy, it costs between N26,500 and N45,000 depending on where you live. The 1-gram sachet costs N45,000 in Okota and Isolo, whereas it costs N40,000 elsewhere.

Another life-saving drug – the Ventolin inhaler -that is utilized in treating asthma attacks is now out of supply. A few months ago, the Ventolin inhaler was sold for N1, 600.

Findings revealed that the scarcity of Ventolin inhalers has also pushed the price of another brand of inhaler, Seretide, through the roof.   It was formerly sold for N6, 000, but now goes for N40, 000.

Many Nigerians can no longer afford regular paracetamol; a packet of paracetamol that cost N50 a year ago now costs N200 to N300, depending on the location and brand.

An indeterminate number of patients are abandoning their treatments and adopting alternative methods like traditional healers and prayer houses. Online pharmaceutical marketers exploit the scarcity of drugs to flood the market with substandard and counterfeit medications, impacting patients like pregnant women, asthma, cancer, malaria, pneumonia, hypertension, and diabetes.

For Agnes Onyero, who was on treatment for malaria, it is not just that the drugs are expensive; her main worry is that she is not seeing the results.   “I have been treating malaria for three months now after a short relief it will come back again.   I have decided that after I finish this set of drugs, I will try herbs,” she lamented regretfully.

While Agnes is battling with resistance to malaria drugs apparently due to substandard or fake medicines, another Nigerian, Adebayo Ojo cannot even afford to buy any drug for treatment.   The 35 year-old now patronises herb sellers popularly known as  Alagbo  who hawk concoctions in his area.

Every morning, Adebayo purchases a cup of the mixture for N200, which, according to him, was formerly sold for N100.

“I did not just decide to be taking herbs but the situation of things forced me to do that.  I have no steady job and just manage what I get from the little one I do.   I was at the pharmacy close to my house and I asked for a malaria drug I was told it is now N2,500. The amount is higher than my daily earnings, so I left it, “ he said.

Agnes and Adebayo are not alone. There are millions of Nigerians in the same boat with them. Some are now building their fate in their faith.

Dollar rate determines the price of drugs in Nigeria

The Chief Executive Officer of HealthPeak Pharmacy, Lagos, Pharm. Azubuike Amakase adduced that several factors contributed to the high cost of drugs presently in Nigeria, but the major factor is forex. In his view, most drugs are imported and indigenous pharmaceutical manufacturers also rely on imported raw materials.

Importers are not helping matters as they continue to sell old stock at unreasonable prices, believing that repurchasing the value of the naira in dollars will not fetch them the same quantity of drugs as when they sell to manufacturers in India, China, Europe, or anywhere else.

“Now every morning before they give out products they will ask for the exchange rate and use it to compute the price for the drugs they sell for that day, that is why some days you get the price of a product in the morning by evening time the price will change, so it is affecting the cost of the drugs and other medications.

“The one that affected me emotionally was a day an asthma patient came in here and the commonest drug that we use when there is an asthma crisis is Ventolin inhaler and other brands.   But it happens that Ventolin inhaler is nowhere to be found in most pharmacies in Nigeria.   That was attributed to the fact that the company that manufactures this product, GSK, has left the country but the few stocks that we still have are in the hands of the wholesalers who are hoarding and creating an artificial scarcity.

“Inhaler that was sold at a maximum of N1600 in the past has no price now.   Some wholesalers will tell you they sell at N8,000 for one while some sell as high as N25,000.   For some people that use Seretide another inhaler for asthma, Seretide used to be like N6,000 but today if you ever see one, you will hear prices like N40,000.

“So, the day the woman came in here, she was gasping for breath, she needed an inhaler to get resuscitated but we did not have one.   What we did for her with my experience in clinical pharmacy was to get her some tablets to relieve her but those tablets could not give her immediate relief as should have done by inhaler but by the grace of God she came out of the crisis.”

But her case is one out of the 100s of cases.

Why drug shortage may persist

Azubuike who envisaged a long-term drug shortage supply in Nigeria, said most importers of pharmaceutical products are no longer bringing them in because of challenges at the Ports.

“Customs duties are getting higher and higher.  Before now, Customs used to calculate duties based on an exchange rate of about N500 to $1, but today, they are using an exchange rate of over N700 to $1 to calculate the duties.

“When you come out of the duty problem, you also face the problem of haulage, and logistics, taking these products from the wharf to the warehouses.    These trucks that convey these products from the wharf to the warehouse also run on diesel and the price of diesel is high, it starts from N700 to over N1,000.   There are so many factors that are pushing the prices of drugs in Nigeria.”

Impact on pharmacy sales

Azubuike noted that pharmacies are experiencing low sales due to high costs and the harsh economy, with many good-selling pharmacies now idle due to people’s inability to afford medications.

“Some patients will go to the hospital and bring a prescription but when they come to the pharmacy after you bring out all the drugs they were given in the prescription list, sometimes most of them will abandon the drugs and just walk away without even saying a word, some will now request that you give them something cheaper, some will come with a budget and when they get here the money they budgeted for their drugs cannot even get half of what is in their prescription. A lot of people are dying.

“Instead of buying drugs that are being prescribed for them, people now go to prayer houses while some will go to traditional healers and  alagbo  on the streets in the name of herbs. And these things as we know affect our organs, especially the liver.   If you go to some tertiary hospitals you will see the results of this act.

“People are coming down with kidney problems.   Go to nephrology clinics, patients are there.   This is major because people are not buying the right drugs.   Hospitals like LASUTH and LUTH are battling with these complications. There is a need to address this problem.”

He said drugs used for the treatment of common ailments such as malaria, typhoid fever, infections pneumonia, and respiratory tract infections among others are majorly affected.

“The cheapest malaria products once sold at N250 is now N500, while those sold at N500 then, now start from N800, and the ones sold from N1,000 then are now N2,500 upwards. This is over a 100 per cent increase.

“The commonest ciprofloxacin that you can get before now as cheap as N400 for one pack is selling as high as N800. For higher brands, some are selling for N2,500.   Then you go to drugs like Augmentin, the problem is that you can hardly see it now.   It is a GSK brand and if you can see it, it has no price meaning that the price is determined by the seller and the person seeking to have those drugs.

“It can go as high as N45,000 for the one gram, then about N40,000 for the 625 if you ever see it. The hike in Augmentin has affected the prices of other Amoxicillin, some that were sold for N1,500 in the past, are now over N3,000, and some sold for N2,000 are now sold for N6,000.

“Brands like Amplicox which is one of the brands people are conversant with, sold for N1000 per sachet and is now N10,000 per sachet, It is also a GSK product popularly known as Beecham Ampiclox. Some may be kind enough to sell it for N9000, and a person who needs this Ampicloix will need two sachets to complete treatment. This means that the person must be ready to cough out N20,000 to get a drug he or she will use for five days, going by the right dosage.”

Azubuike emphasized the need for local drug production in the country and urged the government to intervene to address the uncontrollable fall in naira value by ensuring access to Fore for the importing and producing of pharmaceutical products.

Doctors, pharmacists react

President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Prof Cyril Usifoh,  criticised the current exchange rate of N1,170 to US$1, describing it as a significant tragedy. He warned that the 200 to 250 percent differential in drug prices currently being seen could get worse.

Usifoh lamented that Nigeria’s National Drug Policies (NDP) over the years had not achieved their goals and objectives. He argued that Nigeria imports 70 percent of essential drugs, with India and China producing a significant portion of the country’s consumption, noting that the NDP 2005 advocated for 70 percent of essential drugs to be manufactured locally.

Recommending a way out of the problem, he said the manufacturing of essential drugs and APIs in Nigeria has become crucial in the quest for medicine security and to attain a major boost in the contributions of the pharma sector to the GDP in the national interest.

“Achieving the status of an African hub in pharmaceuticals must become a cardinal objective of the Tinubu administration as we mobilize for the growth of the real sector of the economy. One major reason for the skyrocketing prices of drugs is the depreciation of the naira in the Fore market.”

He said: “President Bola Tinubu needs two key portfolios in the pharma sector to bring prosperity to bare and these are the office of an adviser, Pharmaceuticals and a Chairman of a Presidential committee on drugs distribution reform to redress the ills we have highlighted for productivity.”

In his views, a Superintendent Pharmacist, Engraced Pharmacy, Lagos Pharm Jonah Okotie traced the high cost of medicines to multiple factors of high exchange rate as a result of the poor economy and repatriation of funds.

For him, in the last 20 years, the exchange rate has been depreciating consistently at an astronomical rate.

He said some pharmaceutical companies have folded up because of the astronomical increases because, at the time they imported the products, the value of the naira was less than what it was when the payment was due, which threw them into debt.

Okotie emphasized the challenge of repatriating funds for forex trading in the international market, stating that the availability of funds is crucial for accessing essential medicines. If funds are not available, citizens may be excluded from the list of beneficiaries, denying them essential medicines.

“The economy is shrinking and the purchasing power of the citizens is reducing. The incentive for multinationals to come in is dwindling. I remember sometime back in the 1990s when our economy was faced with a similar experience, the companies then left saying that not only was the cost of doing business in Africa high, but the volume of business after conversion from local currencies to the dollar was not enough to take them home.”

Okotie is insisting that there has to be some intervention kind of funds to mitigate the challenges. “Unfortunately, corruption and wickedness on the part of some of the managers may not let the citizens benefit from it.   Take for instance, the Drug Revolving Fund, DRF, scheme, it has become a conduit pipe for those saddled with managing it.    Suppliers are not paid as at when due to give credibility to the system. Those who are supposed to be checkers are themselves the suppliers. Where is the check and balance? If things go right, we must start with sincerity, accountability, responsibility and interest to see that we improve. We may not have all the resources but judicious and responsible use of our lean resources will guarantee maximum benefit.”

In a chat, the Medical Director of St Raphael Hospitals, Lagos, Dr Anthony Omolola who confirmed that in practical terms, drugs and other hospital consumables have gone over 100 per cent, decried that energy consumption has worsened the already bad situation.

He said Hospital general maintenance is hitting the roof, and patients’ capacity to pay hospital ills has gone way down.

“Unfortunately, Health Maintenance Organisations, HMOs are not making business easy for hospitals because they operate tariffs lower than the cost of production in the hospitals. The patients are not smiling and the same with the hospitals.”

On his part, the Chairman, the Ekiti State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Dr. Babatunde Rosiji, said the development has taken medical supplies beyond the reach of average citizens.

Rosiji posited that if the state of affairs in the country continues unchecked, the inevitable might be on the horizon.

“As we all know and can bear witness to, our dear country is passing through a very difficult time and we as citizens bear the brunt. The times are unprecedented! Patients are finding it difficult to present early to the hospitals for economic reasons. “The exchange rate is making the cost of drugs and medical supplies beyond the reach of the average citizens. Patients on medications for chronic illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes are finding it difficult to access an uninterrupted supply of drugs.

“While health insurance is beginning to take root, the price of drugs in the insurance scheme is out of touch with current realities. If this continues unchecked, your guess is as good as mine.”

Nigeria has exceptionally high drug prices due to the Naira's depreciation.

Patients are abandoning treatments due to high drug prices and local makers' reliance on imported materials.

German pediatricians warn of deviations from therapeutic guidelines due to a shortage of children's medicines.

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Content: The Association of Pediatricians in Germany warns of a growing shortage of children 's medicines - Sunrise Gate
Saturday 29 April 2023 9: 47 PM Cairo Cairo 24 °
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German paediatricians' association warns of growing shortage of children's medicines
DBA
Published on: Saturday 29 April 2023 - 8: 56 PM | Last updated on Saturday 29 April 2023 - 8: 56 PM
The professional association of paediatricians in Germany has warned of a growing shortage of paediatric medicines.
In remarks to the German newspaper "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung" issued on Saturday, the president of the association Thomas Fischbach said: "Currently we are treating patients away from therapeutic guidelines, and the next autumn is at the door and we will again face a supply crisis that may be worse," noting that there is a shortage of fever and pain drugs at doses suitable for children, and there is no penicillin either.
Fischbach is among the signatories of an open letter from pediatricians from Germany, France, South Tyrol, Austria and Switzerland to the country ’ s health ministers.
In a letter to German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, he said: “The health of our children and young people is at risk across Europe due to a lack of medicines, and there is an urgent need for a quick, reliable and lasting solution. ”
Doctors are "deeply concerned", they said, adding that the bottlenecks of the past months have prevented the availability of appropriate treatments for children and treatments that follow the treatment guidelines, and that this would permanently endanger the health of children and young people.
The letter also said: “A supply shortage scenario would have been somewhat unimaginable in our country a few years ago, and we believe it is the responsibility of politicians to ensure that there is adequate production and storage of medicines important for primary care for children in Europe. ”
Fischbach called for support for the production of medicines for children in Germany and said Germany should once again be attractive enough for companies to produce medicines in Germany, adding that politicians should work to ensure this.
In the letter, dated April 27, the association said doctors were prescribing antibiotics for example in cases of pneumonia, urinary tract infection or scarlet fever, saying that if antibiotics were not available, doctors would have to resort to second-or third-line antibiotics, but they were less effective and the risk of antibiotic resistance was increasing.
It should be noted that the shortage of anti-juice supplies for children has become official in Germany since last Tuesday, where the German Ministry of Health announced in the Federal Index, the official advertising platform in the Federal Republic of Germany, that there is such a shortage at the moment.
A spokesman for the ministry said on Friday that this meant that certain active substances were not currently available.
The ministry said the reasons for supply bottlenecks in medicines were diverse, citing "bottlenecks in essential materials" and "production problems".
The Supreme Association of Legal Health Insurers said the pharmaceutical industry shared responsibility for the shortfall, with spokesman Florian Lantz saying: “There was a shared confidence in the pharmaceutical industry that it would provide supplies to patients in case of doubt, but that confidence has now been shaken. ”
In the past, the pharmaceutical industry had built overseas supply chains that were now proving unstable.
German Health Minister Lauterbach said on Twitter that paediatricians' concerns were justified and referred to a law on combating bottlenecks drafted by the German government earlier this month.
However, the law has not yet been passed by the German parliament and will allow manufacturers to demand higher prices for baby medicines in Germany so that supplies to Germany are more feasible.
It also requires a months-long increase in storage time for some important drugs and gives a greater role to companies that produce antibiotic active substances in Europe.
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The proposed law may raise baby medicine prices amid existing shortages.

The pharmaceutical industry and unstable overseas supply chains contribute to shortages.

The Ministry of Health plans to establish a "shortage of drugs center" after Taiwan successfully set floor prices for prescription drugs.

Title:

Content: There is a shortage of Chinese and Western medicines in the country, and there is a shortage of Punacao, the antibiotic ammonicillin, the acid-making agent magnesium oxide, and so on.
At present, the Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to establish a "shortage of drugs center", and the National Health Insurance Administration also invited the medical community, pharmaceutical companies, etc., to meet, it is generally deduced that the price of drugs is low, the lack of profit incentives, resulting in a reduction in the production willingness of pharmaceutical companies, which directly affects the stable supply of drugs.
Cai Mingzhong, chairman of the Kuomintang Medical Committee, said that in order to solve this problem, Shi Chongliang, director of the National Health Insurance Administration, proposed to ensure the necessary "directive drugs", and should set a "floor price" according to the prescription drugs to protect the basic profits of the drugs and avoid impacting the market supply.
He observed that Taiwan's "prescription drugs" in the past 1 or 2 years have set a floor price (at least 2 yuan or 1.5 yuan), the results are good, such a model should be transplanted to the common needs of the public "indication of drugs" items, the same set of "floor prices", to improve the industry's production willingness, is indeed one of the necessary measures to avoid market shortage of drugs, should be supported.
On March 18, 2019, the National Health Insurance Administration issued a press release saying that since the second generation of health insurance is on the road, the "Drug Expenses Target System" (DET) has been piloted in accordance with the law. A small number of pharmaceutical companies claim that the price of health insurance is not enough to cover the cost. The NHI is willing to continue to communicate and actively review the calculation formula of DET on the premise of ensuring the rights and interests of the public with drugs, so that the pharmaceutical industry has a reasonable living space.
However, Tsai Ming-chung believes that even if DET continues to carry out, the effect of suppressing the continuous expansion of drug costs will gradually become blunt with time. As for the cost of DET, it will become a burden for the medical sector.
# Drugs # DET # Lack of Drugs # Floor Price # Health Insurance Department

The National Health Insurance Administration is reviewing the DET calculation formula, which may burden the medical sector.

Pharmaceutical companies claim health insurance prices are insufficient, and drug shortages include antibiotics and acid-making agents.

The EU is facing significant medicine shortages, especially for antibiotics and pediatric drugs, due to high demand and low production capacity.

Title:

Content: There is not enough medicine in the EU
19 January 2023, 05: 20
ASTANA.
KAZINFORM - The European Union is suffering from a shortage of medicines.
Deficiency of antibiotics, such as amoxicillin, drugs against colds, flu and other respiratory infections, as well as some drugs for children, reports MIA "Kazinform" with reference to euronews.com.
In most countries, the situation is considered critical, but since such goods from pharmacies do not disappear at all, citizens are not advised to make stocks.
Doctors note a weakening in the population of natural immunity due to protection against coronavirus such as social distancing.
The main reasons for the sharp increase in demand, which have been identified, is the high prevalence of respiratory diseases with a lack of production capacity.
As pharmaceutical issues are being addressed at the national level, Governments are already taking steps to overcome the shortage
These measures include the sale of generics and the replacement of requested medicines with similar ones.
In some countries, some formulations have been changed, for example, drugs are offered in the form of syrups instead of tablets, so that children are more willing to take them.
"Pediatric drugs are generally now less available in the form of conventional tablets," said Steffen Tierstrup, chief medical officer of the European Medicines Agency. "Therefore, where children are more ill, the need for pediatric drugs is higher than for adult drugs."
A recent study showed that the shortage of drugs in Spain increased by 38% over the year.
The decline in their production was affected by inflation, high energy prices, shortages of raw materials and the effects of the pandemic.
“We need diversification, ” said Ilaria Passarani, head of the EU Pharmaceutical Group.“ Of course, it would be useful to return to Europe the production of some critical materials, such as active ingredients.
But we can't return all the production of all the materials we use for drugs.
This entails problems such as the increase in pharmacy prices associated with the implementation of environmental laws, labor laws, which are not necessarily enforced in other regions. ”
In March, the European Commission will present a revised version of the EU pharmaceutical legislation, which will include stricter supply obligations, earlier notification of shortages and seizures of medicines, and better informing the public about available stocks.
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The shortages have been exacerbated by inflation, energy prices, and raw material shortages affecting production.

Some EU countries are addressing shortages by selling generics and altering formulations, like offering syrups instead of tablets.

The European Commission will present revised pharmaceutical legislation in March, including stricter supply rules and improved public notification.

The EU has proposed a voluntary mechanism to access an EU-funded stockpile of medicines in emergencies.

The mechanism involves joint drug procurement and medicine swaps with southern hemisphere countries, starting in 2024.

A Critical Medicines Alliance is to be established in 2024, with guidance on national stockpiles to follow.

The voluntary solidarity mechanism is set for approval on October 25.

The EU plans to revise its pharmaceutical regulation to make medicines more affordable and combat antimicrobial resistance.

Title:

Content: The European Commission (EC) is proposing to revise the European Union (EU) pharmaceutical regulation to provide more affordable, affordable and innovative medicines, the EC office in Latvia said.
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The EC also proposes to implement the Council's recommendation on strengthening the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Medicines registered in the EU still do not reach patients quickly enough and are not equally available in all Member States.
The shortage is experienced in the treatment of rare diseases and antibiotics.
High prices for innovative treatments and drug shortages remain a major challenge for patients and health systems.
In addition, for the EU to remain an attractive investment destination and a global leader in drug development, it needs to adapt its rules to digital transformation and new technologies, removing bureaucratic obstacles and simplifying procedures, the statement said.
The review provides for the creation of a single market for medicines, ensuring that all patients in the EU will have timely and equal access to safe and effective medicines at an affordable and similar price.
In November 2020, the EC launched the European Medicines Strategy, with the aim of creating a future-oriented and patient-centered pharmaceutical environment in which the EU industry can innovate, thrive and continue to be a global leader.
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The European Medicines Strategy, launched in 2020, aims to create a patient-centered environment with timely access to medicines.

Title:

Content: The European Commission (EC) is proposing to revise the European Union (EU) pharmaceutical regulation to provide more affordable, affordable and innovative medicines, the EC office in Latvia said.
The continuation of the article is under advertising
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The EC also proposes to implement the Council's recommendation on strengthening the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Medicines registered in the EU still do not reach patients quickly enough and are not equally available in all Member States.
The shortage is experienced in the treatment of rare diseases and antibiotics.
High prices for innovative treatments and drug shortages remain a major challenge for patients and health systems.
In addition, for the EU to remain an attractive investment destination and a global leader in drug development, it needs to adapt its rules to digital transformation and new technologies, removing bureaucratic obstacles and simplifying procedures, the statement said.
The review provides for the creation of a single market for medicines, ensuring that all patients in the EU will have timely and equal access to safe and effective medicines at an affordable and similar price.
In November 2020, the EC launched the European Medicines Strategy, with the aim of creating a future-oriented and patient-centered pharmaceutical environment in which the EU industry can innovate, thrive and continue to be a global leader.
Delfi in Telegram: Latest news from Latvia for those who have little time
Published materials and any part of them are protected by copyright under the Copyright Act, and their use without the consent of the publisher is prohibited.
More information here.

The European Commission is working to remove bureaucratic obstacles to help the EU industry innovate and thrive.

Title:

Content: The European Commission (EC) is proposing to revise the European Union (EU) pharmaceutical regulation to provide more affordable, affordable and innovative medicines, the EC office in Latvia said.
The continuation of the article is under advertising
Advertisement
The EC also proposes to implement the Council's recommendation on strengthening the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Medicines registered in the EU still do not reach patients quickly enough and are not equally available in all Member States.
The shortage is experienced in the treatment of rare diseases and antibiotics.
High prices for innovative treatments and drug shortages remain a major challenge for patients and health systems.
In addition, for the EU to remain an attractive investment destination and a global leader in drug development, it needs to adapt its rules to digital transformation and new technologies, removing bureaucratic obstacles and simplifying procedures, the statement said.
The review provides for the creation of a single market for medicines, ensuring that all patients in the EU will have timely and equal access to safe and effective medicines at an affordable and similar price.
In November 2020, the EC launched the European Medicines Strategy, with the aim of creating a future-oriented and patient-centered pharmaceutical environment in which the EU industry can innovate, thrive and continue to be a global leader.
Delfi in Telegram: Latest news from Latvia for those who have little time
Published materials and any part of them are protected by copyright under the Copyright Act, and their use without the consent of the publisher is prohibited.
More information here.

Nineteen EU countries propose reducing dependence on China for pharmaceuticals, which supplies over 50% of the EU's active ingredients.

Title:

Content: 19 EU countries call for reduction of dependence of pharmaceutical industry on China | Deutsche Welle Germany | DW | 07.05.2023
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19 EU countries call for reduction of dependence of pharmaceutical industry on China
According to a document released by the European Union (EU), 19 member states are pushing for measures to reduce the EU ’ s high dependence on the Chinese market for imported pharmaceutical ingredients.
Recently, the European Union (EU) proposed to amend the legal norms of the pharmaceutical industry.
The EU has a 136.9 billion euro pharmaceutical industry.
The draft law proposed by the European Commission aims to reactivate investment in the pharmaceutical industry in order to improve the supply of drugs and restore drug prices to normal.
Affected by the epidemic prevention and control, the budget in the field of health care has been seriously insufficient.
However, the countries that signed the document, including Belgium, France, Spain and Germany, asked the EU to develop a law on critical drugs to ensure the security of supply in the core drug sector.
At present, the world's drug production is highly dependent on a small number of Chinese manufacturers and the active ingredients of their drugs, which has caused concern in relevant countries.
More than 50% of the active ingredients of drugs that meet EU standards come from five Chinese companies.
The lack of regular medication supplies has been plaguing Germany for months.
“The EU has become increasingly dependent on several producers in a few regions. In 2019, globally, more than 40% of APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients) came from China.
And in the field of intermediate products, almost all API manufacturers in the world are inseparable from China. "
The European Commission plans to tighten controls on a range of key drugs to avoid an EU-wide shortage.
"The availability of these drugs must be monitored and tracked across the global supply chain in order to identify potential suppliers and weaknesses in a timely manner," the document said.
The document said that for drugs that have already been in shortage several times, the first implementation of monitoring should be carried out.
In addition, the countries concerned hope that the EU will introduce specific measures to allow countries to carry out mutual assistance actions in extreme cases where alternative suppliers and alternative medicines cannot be found.
(Reuters)
© 2023 Deutsche Welle Copyright Notice: All content in this article is protected by copyright law and may not be used without special permission from Deutsche Welle.
Any misconduct will lead to recovery and criminal prosecution.

The EU plans to tighten controls on key drugs and monitor availability to avoid shortages.

The EU is creating a strategic supply of scarce drugs and obliging manufacturers to guarantee supply.

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Financial Times: The European Union has decided to create a strategic supply of scarce drugs
The European Union (EU) intends to create a strategic supply of medicines and oblige manufacturers to guarantee their supply.
This is reported by the Financial Times with reference to the representative of the European Commission (EC).
According to the interlocutor of the publication, the shortage of pharmaceuticals is a “systemic challenge ” for EU member states, so the EC intends to ensure“ strategic autonomy ” in the supply of essential drugs, such as paracetamol and penicillin.
The FT source also said that in the near future the European Commission will introduce a law that will allow “to ensure access of all patients in need to medicines. ”
For this purpose, it is planned to “introduce stricter obligations for suppliers, improve the availability of information on drug stocks, and require earlier notification of shortages. ”
According to the European Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakidis, discussion of these measures with representatives of the industry has already taken place.
Earlier it was reported that the French authorities banned the online sale of paracetamol until the end of January 2023 due to problems with the supply of the drug.
According to a press release from the French government, the tense situation with the supply of drugs based on paracetamol persists in France for more than six months.
This also applies to drugs intended for children.
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The European Commission is introducing a law to ensure patient access to medicines with stricter supplier obligations and earlier shortage notifications.

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Financial Times: The European Union has decided to create a strategic supply of scarce drugs
The European Union (EU) intends to create a strategic supply of medicines and oblige manufacturers to guarantee their supply.
This is reported by the Financial Times with reference to the representative of the European Commission (EC).
According to the interlocutor of the publication, the shortage of pharmaceuticals is a “systemic challenge ” for EU member states, so the EC intends to ensure“ strategic autonomy ” in the supply of essential drugs, such as paracetamol and penicillin.
The FT source also said that in the near future the European Commission will introduce a law that will allow “to ensure access of all patients in need to medicines. ”
For this purpose, it is planned to “introduce stricter obligations for suppliers, improve the availability of information on drug stocks, and require earlier notification of shortages. ”
According to the European Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakidis, discussion of these measures with representatives of the industry has already taken place.
Earlier it was reported that the French authorities banned the online sale of paracetamol until the end of January 2023 due to problems with the supply of the drug.
According to a press release from the French government, the tense situation with the supply of drugs based on paracetamol persists in France for more than six months.
This also applies to drugs intended for children.
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The US faces significant medicine shortages, mostly affecting generic drugs, which account for 90 percent of prescriptions.

Title:

Content: Prescription drug shortages lead to higher prices

Reporter: Andryanna Sheppard
Published: Updated:
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Millions of people in the United States depend on prescription drugs to manage pain, treat medical conditions, and even to help them stay alive. However, the country’s drug shortage is making it hard for some people to get the medication they need or pay for the drugs that are available.

Federal Drug Administration data shows 90 percent of prescriptions in the US are for generic drugs. According to the National Institutes of Health, most prescription drugs involved in shortages are generic options.

There are currently more than 250 medications on the nation’s prescription drug shortage list, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. The organization says 2023 marked the worst year for shortages in about a decade.

Jessica Kahn’s two sons were diagnosed with ADD.

“I would say tricky, tricky to navigate,” Kahn described.

For the past year, Kahn said getting their medication has been frustrating.

“I have my list of all the pharmacies. I’ve even driven all the way up north to Walgreens or a CVS, some random place to go pick up a kids’ prescription,” Kahn added.

According to the FDA, prescription drug shortages are often linked to manufacturing and quality problems, delays, and discontinuations. Two drugs used in chemotherapy, Adderall, lidocaine, and amoxicillin are just a couple of the prescription medications on the shortage list.

When drug supplies are low, prices tend to increase. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, there is a 16.6 percent increase in the price of drugs involved in a shortage. And in some cases, alternative drugs were priced at least three times higher.

“You got to be very conscientious that it might not be available and that it is not an option,” Kahn advised. “No matter how many places you call, it’s not there.”

Beating the prescription drug shortage

Health experts offer these tips:

  • Check the national drug shortage list for your medication and possible alternatives.
  • Don’t wait until your prescription is almost gone to refill it.
  • Check other pharmacies for availability and if you can’t find the generic version, look for coupons or programs that offer payment help. Some patients have reported that they receive additional help to reduce some prescription costs from $100 to $10, it’s not allowed if you are already on Medicare.
  • Websites and apps like GoodRX, RX Saver and WellRX can help you find the cheapest place that has your medication and coupons for it.

Contributors to this news report include: Lindsay Dailey, Producer; Bob Walko, Editor

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.

The nation's prescription drug shortage list has over 250 medications, marking 2023 as the worst year in about a decade.

Prescription drug shortages, often due to manufacturing and quality issues, can lead to a 16.6 percent increase in drug prices.

Alternative drugs can be three times higher in price, so checking the national drug shortage list for alternatives is essential.

Refilling prescriptions early and using websites like GoodRX can help avoid shortages and find cheaper medication options.

In the first three months of 2024, 323 drugs were in shortage across all drug classes.

Sterile injectable generic drugs are the most worrisome shortages, mainly due to manufacturing and quality problems.

Supply chain gaps and downtime contribute to shortages affecting at least half a million patients.

Most treatment shortages last over two years due to a lack of transparency.

Requiring manufacturers to disclose suppliers can help prevent shortages caused by FDA inspections and factory closures.

French health groups propose transparency from pharmaceutical companies to address drug shortages and rising prices.

Fourteen civil society organisations proposed solutions to address 4,925 drug shortages reported in France in 2023.

The European Commission announced measures requiring EU pharmaceutical companies to hold safety stocks of medicine.

The Ministry proposed a strategy to address medicine shortages, including five coping mechanisms.

Title:

Content: The lack of medicine continues to burn!
The Ministry of Health and Welfare has proposed a short, medium and long-term strategy to deal with the current 5 coping mechanisms.
Journalist Yen Zhenzhen / Taipei Report
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the shortage of drugs is not a single factor, but includes supply problems, manufacturing problems, clinical demand factors, uneven distribution of drugs, drug use habits and drug prices. In addition to dealing with the relatively high clinical demand items, it is properly allocated to all levels of medical institutions and pharmacies to fully meet the needs of clinical end-use drugs.
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In the face of the shortage of drugs, Wang said, the existing health insurance uses five major coping mechanisms, including 1, a single processing window, a dedicated person to help deal with the problem of drug purchase, and contact the Food and Drug Administration to put relevant information on the website of the NHI. (4) Drug price adjustment mechanism that does not meet the cost can be re-checked according to the way of raising the price of special drugs; (5) Alternative drugs can still declare the cost, if they are not irreplaceable, they can be replaced at the same price or lower than the original prescription drug price.
In addition, Wang pointed out that in the face of the international epidemic, the Russian-Ukrainian war, and labor shortage, drug shortage is a problem facing all countries. In order to strengthen the stable supply mechanism of drugs in China, the Ministry of Health and Welfare continues to actively respond to the short-term strategy to solve the problem of drug shortage. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the pharmaceutical industry have made every effort to actively arrange production lines, strive for early import, increase production / import quantity, and properly distribute to all levels of medical institutions and pharmacies to fully meet the demand for clinical end use drugs.
In addition, to properly handle the issue of drug price adjustment, the Central Health Insurance Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare intends to implement the "Universal Health Insurance Cost Distribution Target System (DET)" in April this year, which will adjust the number of drug prices and adjust the quota in a suitable manner, taking into account factors such as the epidemic, the Russian-Ukrainian war and inflation.
In terms of medium-term strategy, Wang said that he will establish a permanent drug shortage treatment center and optimize drug supply information transmission.
In order to speed up the handling of drug shortage incidents, we will adopt dedicated personnel and cross-departmental cooperation to develop drug shortage prevention policies to prevent drug shortage in advance, strengthen cross-departmental data integration and proactive monitoring to detect drug shortage incidents at an early stage, and intervene early through cross-departmental cooperation to stabilize drug supply.
At the same time, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to disseminate drug supply and alternative drug information through various channels. In addition to posting on the “Drug Supply Information Platform ”, the FDA will notify medical institutions and pharmacies through VPN, and weekly letters to relevant medical associations and public associations to inform members. Management system.
In the long-term strategy section, it includes reviewing the current health insurance drug pricing policy and encouraging the production of domestically manufactured generic drugs.
Wang Bi-sheng pointed out that in the review of the current health insurance drug price policy, including the development of the price protection of indicative drugs, drug price review for the lack of drugs; start the review of drug expenditure target (DET), plan the establishment of a risk control mechanism, plan the national unified procurement trial plan; comprehensively review the health insurance drug price policy, give an appropriate price protection mechanism for necessary drugs, and also target the patent period. To encourage the production of domestic manufacturers to ensure that when there is a shortage of original pharmaceutical products, there are domestic famous drugs to respond.
Wang also stressed that the Food and Drug Administration has set up a "Drug Supply Information Platform" (https: / / dsms.fda.gov.tw /), reporting hotline (02) 27878249. If medical institutions and pharmacies have any shortage of drugs, they can go to the platform for enquiry or notification, and the department will deal with it immediately.
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The Ministry aims to ensure a stable drug supply with alternative drugs at the same or lower price.

The Ministry aims to ensure a stable drug supply with alternative drugs at the same or lower price.