The global pharmaceutical market size is 1.5 trillion dollars, with the Arab pharmaceutical market size being 38 billion dollars.

A record 323 drug shortages were reported in the US in 2024, with 32 chemotherapy drugs currently in shortage.

In the US, drug shortages started being tracked in 2001, and the average shortage affects half a million patients.

Manufacturing issues are a common cause of shortages, and supply chain gaps also contribute to drug shortages.

The FDA inspections can lead to factory closures and shortages, and a lack of transparency hinders response to shortages.

In France, 4,925 drug shortages were reported in 2023, and 3,761 drug shortages occurred in 2022.

A total of 2,160 drug shortages happened in 2021 in France, and 44% of people in France faced a drug shortage in 2024.

The European Commission announced measures to reform the pharmaceutical industry, and the EU adopted a position on pharmaceutical reform.

The EU proposed an early warning system for scarce drugs and planned a voluntary solidarity mechanism to avoid medication shortages.

A global shortage of antibiotics is reported due to an increase in infectious diseases, with 28 of 35 countries lacking penicillin-type drugs.

The US and Canada reported an amoxicillin shortage, and high energy prices decreased pharmaceutical companies' profits.

Painkillers are also in short supply, and tuberculosis drugs are lacking, with skin infection drugs also being in short supply.

The WHO collects medicine supply data from 35 countries, and pharmaceutical manufacturers face pandemic difficulties.

A record 323 active drug shortages were recorded in the U.S. in 2021, surpassing the 320 shortages in 2014.

The shortage of sterile injectable drugs, including chemotherapy, is a significant concern, and there is a lack of emergency medicines in hospital treatment rooms.

The American Pharmacists Association calls for politician action, and federal-level work is needed to eliminate the root causes of shortages.

Shortages affect all types of medicines in the U.S., and significant concern is raised by medication shortage.

In China, the 2023 drug shortage was reported to be fully addressed, and the National Health Commission improved the shortage drug classification system.

China monitors drug shortage information through a direct reporting system, and the State Medical Insurance Bureau tracks the national shortage list of drugs.

The National Drug Administration collects production supply and shutdown reports, and the Ministry of Industry monitors drug production supply and early warning.

A global syringe shortage is possible by 2023 due to COVID-19 vaccine demand, with COVID-19 vaccine doses administered globally exceeding 6.8 billion per year.

The global manufacturing capacity for vaccination injections is around 6 billion per year, and a shortage of over 1 billion injections is possible in 2022 if production doesn't rise.

India's pharma exports grew 10.45% in May 2024, and the US faces decade-high drug shortages in 2024, with 233 drugs in shortage across 22 therapeutic categories.

India is the world's third-largest drugmaker by volume, and the US accounts for 30% of India's annual pharma exports.

Medicine shortage has been increasing for over 10 years globally, and low margins cause big pharma to shift production abroad.

The EU-level drug reserve is proposed by the World Medical Association, and supply chains must be secured by multiple manufacturers.

Pediatricians condemn medicine shortage in European countries, and Germany announces a shortage of children's antibiotic juices.

99% of hospital pharmacists report some drug supply shortages, and 309 drugs are in shortage, near the all-time high of 320.

1 in 3 health systems delay, cancel, or ration care due to shortages, and the FDA allows overseas import of some chemotherapy drugs.

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

The main causes of drug shortages in hospitals and pharmacies between 2021 and 2024 include increased demand, raw material scarcity, production problems, and supply chain disruptions.

Smuggling of drugs, mainly to conflict countries, also contributes to medicine shortages, with popular medicines in Egypt being the most smuggled abroad.

The pharmaceutical industry faces shortages of raw materials and foreign currency, exacerbating the problem of medicine disappearances.

Manufacturing and quality problems are the primary causes of most drug shortages, with sterile injectable generic drugs being particularly vulnerable.

The lack of transparency in the pharmaceutical industry hinders the response to drug shortages, making it challenging to address the issue.

Global events, such as wars and epidemics, can also exacerbate drug shortages, as well as labor shortages and uneven drug distribution.

The shortage of certain drugs, including chemotherapy medications, antibiotics, and fever medicines, has been reported in several countries, including the US and France.

In the US, the FDA monitors the supply chain to address shortages, but the problem persists, with over 135 drugs in short supply as of 2021.

Pharmaceutical companies' prioritization of short-term profit and reliance on foreign raw materials contribute to drug shortages.

The European Commission has announced measures to reform the pharmaceutical industry, including requiring companies to have safety stocks of medicine.

In Egypt, the shortage of hard currency and the detention of raw materials in ports have worsened the medicine shortage crisis.

The medicine shortage crisis has repeated during Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar's term, despite promises to localize the pharmaceutical industry.

Patients have suffered due to the lack of essential drugs, including insulin and cancer treatments, and health insurance patients have faced shortages and closures of operating rooms.

The exchange rate fluctuations have caused companies to stockpile medicines, further exacerbating the shortage.

Over 1000 drugs have had price increases ranging from 25% to 60% in 2023, making it difficult for patients to access necessary medications.

In France, 44% of people faced a drug shortage in 2024, and 78% of health professionals in oncology had been faced with a drug shortage.

The European Parliament has adopted a position on pharmaceutical reform, aiming to address the issue of drug shortages.

In the US, the White House has proposed $3.26-5.11 billion to address drug shortages, and the FDA needs more power to access drug shortage information.

Manufacturers should be more transparent about supply chain issues, and changes to the US pharmaceutical industry business model may be required to solve the problem.

Drug shortages have significant economic and social impacts, costing facilities at least $359 million per year and affecting over 50,000 pharmacies in North America.

The shortage of drugs, including cancer medications, steroids, and hormonal drugs, has affected 10-20% of cancer patients, and 93% of cancer centers have reported carboplatin shortages.

Heart medications and emergency syringes are also in short supply, and 1 in 3 health systems delay or cancel care due to shortages.

The US experienced a record 323 drug shortages in the first three months of 2024, affecting over half a million patients.

These shortages were often caused by manufacturing and quality problems, with 32 chemotherapy drugs currently in short supply.

The average shortage lasts over two years, with more than half of treatment shortages lasting over two years.

Growing demand contributes to drug shortages, while the FDA blames supply chain gaps and downtime for shortages.

In France, 4,925 drug shortages occurred in 2023, with 44% of the population facing a drug shortage in 2024.

The European Union announced measures to reform the pharmaceutical industry, including reducing the scientific evaluation of drugs from 210 to 180 days.

In response to medication shortages, the Ministry of Health proposed a short, medium, and long-term strategy to deal with medicine shortages.

Five coping mechanisms exist to address drug shortages, including single processing window, and alternative drugs can be used at the same or lower price than the original prescription.

The FDA disseminates drug supply and alternative drug information through various channels, and a permanent drug shortage treatment center is to be established as a medium-term strategy.

In Jordan, the Ministry of Health faced medication shortages in hospitals from 2021-2023, with a medicine budget of 103.75 million dinars in 2023.

The Ministry accumulated 300 million dinars in debt to pharmaceutical companies, which affects pharmaceutical companies' liquidity and service.

Lack of coordination and communication hinders medicine supply and distribution, and inaccurate forecasting of future medicine needs affects hospital budgets.

In Ireland, a paracetamol shortage occurred in 2023 due to Covid-19 and flu cases, impacting prescription products.

The EU plans a voluntary solidarity mechanism for medicine shortages and proposes an early warning system for drug scarcity.

The European Union also discusses funding for domestic production and encourages reshoring of basic medicine supply.

In the US, health officials debate declaring a public health emergency due to a penicillin shortage, which affects syphilis treatment in major medical centers.

The penicillin shortage began in April 2021 due to increased syphilis and strep throat cases, and supply disruptions will continue into 2024.

China reported a 2023 drug shortage that was fully addressed by 2024, with the National Health Commission improving the drug shortage classification system.

Community Health Systems partnered with Mark Cuban's drug company in 2023 to secure shipments of epinephrine

The global pharmaceutical market size is 1.5 trillion dollars, with the Arab pharmaceutical market size being 38 billion dollars.

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.
Add Announcement
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.

A record 323 drug shortages were reported in the US in 2024, with 32 chemotherapy drugs currently in shortage.

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, drug shortages started being tracked in 2001, and the average shortage affects half a million patients.

Manufacturing issues are a common cause of shortages, and supply chain gaps also contribute to drug shortages.

The FDA inspections can lead to factory closures and shortages, and a lack of transparency hinders response to shortages.

In France, 4,925 drug shortages were reported in 2023, and 3,761 drug shortages occurred in 2022.

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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A total of 2,160 drug shortages happened in 2021 in France, and 44% of people in France faced a drug shortage in 2024.

The European Commission announced measures to reform the pharmaceutical industry, and the EU adopted a position on pharmaceutical reform.

The EU proposed an early warning system for scarce drugs and planned a voluntary solidarity mechanism to avoid medication 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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A global shortage of antibiotics is reported due to an increase in infectious diseases, 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 reported an amoxicillin shortage, and high energy prices decreased pharmaceutical companies' profits.

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.

Painkillers are also in short supply, and tuberculosis drugs are lacking, with skin infection drugs also being in short supply.

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 WHO collects medicine supply data from 35 countries, and pharmaceutical manufacturers face pandemic difficulties.

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.

A record 323 active drug shortages were recorded in the U.S. in 2021, surpassing the 320 shortages in 2014.

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
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The shortage of sterile injectable drugs, including chemotherapy, is a significant concern, and there is a lack of emergency medicines in hospital treatment rooms.

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

The American Pharmacists Association calls for politician action, and federal-level work is needed to eliminate the root causes of shortages.

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

Shortages affect all types of medicines in the U.S., and significant concern is raised by medication shortage.

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

In China, the 2023 drug shortage was reported to be fully addressed, and the National Health Commission improved the 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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China monitors drug shortage information through a direct reporting system, and the State Medical Insurance Bureau tracks the national shortage list of drugs.

The National Drug Administration collects production supply and shutdown reports, and the Ministry of Industry monitors drug production supply and early warning.

A global syringe shortage is possible by 2023 due to COVID-19 vaccine demand, with COVID-19 vaccine doses administered globally exceeding 6.8 billion per year.

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 for vaccination injections is around 6 billion per year, and a shortage of over 1 billion injections is possible in 2022 if production doesn't rise.

India's pharma exports grew 10.45% in May 2024, and the US faces decade-high drug shortages in 2024, with 233 drugs in shortage across 22 therapeutic categories.

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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India is the world's third-largest drugmaker by volume, and the US accounts for 30% of India's annual pharma exports.

Medicine shortage has been increasing for over 10 years globally, and low margins cause big pharma to shift production abroad.

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.

The EU-level drug reserve is proposed by the World Medical Association, and supply chains must be secured by multiple manufacturers.

Pediatricians condemn medicine shortage in European countries, and Germany announces a shortage of children's antibiotic juices.

99% of hospital pharmacists report some drug supply shortages, and 309 drugs are in shortage, near the all-time high of 320.

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

1 in 3 health systems delay, cancel, or ration care due to shortages, and the FDA allows overseas import of some chemotherapy drugs.

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

The main causes of drug shortages in hospitals and pharmacies between 2021 and 2024 include increased demand, raw material scarcity, production problems, and supply chain disruptions.

Title:

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

Title:

Content: Chairman of Wafd Party
Dr. Abdul Sindh Yamama
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Dr. Ayman is an accountant.
Editor-in-Chief
I'm sorry.
My grandfather, Zainuddin.
Chairman of Wafd Party
Dr. Abdul Sindh Yamama
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Dr. Ayman is an accountant.
Editor-in-Chief
I'm sorry.
My grandfather, Zainuddin.
Smuggling burns drug stability
Libya and Sudan are the main destinations.
And the profits are huge.
Deficiencies include stents, heart medications, diabetes, pressure, and tumors.
It is an undeniable fact that the Egyptian pharmaceutical market is experiencing a crisis of shortage of some vital items on which citizens depend mainly, and at all levels, which exacerbated the suffering of patients in public hospitals affiliated to the government, which receive subsidized medicines at low prices, so that the so-called alternative class becomes a citizen ’ s refuge, to get the necessary dose of medicine, to alleviate his health suffering or save his life.
At a time when it is assumed that more than 90% of medicines are manufactured in Egypt, citizens' complaints about the lack of many medicines and medical supplies in the markets and hospitals are escalating to the extent that deputies submitted a number of requests for briefing through the deputies, stressing that the crisis lies in the raw material itself and imported in dollars.
And the pressure.
Thyroid and sugar.
The main reasons lie in the importation of 95% of raw materials in addition to the presence of “smuggling brokers ” whose mission is to smuggle Egyptian medicine to neighboring conflict countries, especially Libya and Sudan, in order to sell it abroad at exorbitant prices, and to reap huge profits, according to some pharmacists and specialists. In addition to Sudan ’ s import of Egyptian medicine in hard currency, especially with the licenses of Egyptian medicine compared to others and the stopping of factories in neighboring countries because of their conflicts.
According to Ali Abdullah, head of the Egyptian Society for Pharmaceutical Studies (an NGO), the lack of medicines and their disappearance from the local market is a real crisis in case of smuggling, such as insulin, tumors, anesthesia, surgical supplies, serums and vaccines.
The shortage of hard currency in Egypt is also one of the reasons for the disappearance of medicines.
Mahfouz Ramzi, head of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Committee at the Cairo Pharmacists Syndicate, pointed out that there are organized gangs that smuggle medicine to countries of conflicts and wars, explaining that “most operations are conducted through land border roads, and the Egyptian Drug Authority is responsible for inspecting companies, factories and any pharmaceutical institution, to ensure that medicines produced in Egypt are in the normal sequence until they reach pharmacies. ”“ Some smuggling professionals deal with drug stores, where they buy large quantities of medicines, take advantage of discounts on them, and then smuggle them abroad to take advantage of the price difference. ”
The Executive Director of the Egyptian Center for the Right to Medicine, Mahmoud Fouad, confirmed that "the drug stores have turned into an illegal business and a back gate for drug smuggling and expired drug trade, as most of them are not licensed and sold without invoices, and are not subject to the umbrella of the Ministry of Health, in addition to the lack of health standards required to practice the profession of pharmacy, after some stores are run from apartments away from the eyes of the Ministry of the control bodies. 90% of its owners are not pharmacists. ”
“Are these stores registered with the Ministry of Health?
And are they subject to pharmaceutical inspection or from the Drug Control and Research Authority? ”, stressing that most of the small pharmacies in the villages “do not have the ability to buy medicine from distribution companies, which makes them resort to buying from stores after agreeing on specific facilities and periods for payment, ” pointing out that“ popular medicines in Egypt are the most smuggled abroad. ” From 250 pounds ($8 at the official exchange rate).
According to Dr. Ashraf Hatem, Chairman of the Health Committee in Parliament, it is a social responsibility, and priorities must be set, and all parties sitting together may help to solve the crisis, in light of the apparent shortage of a number of medical drugs, and his demand that the Drug Authority publish periodically and daily alternatives to the missing medicines in the absence of the original medicine. In addition, the pharmaceutical industry continues to operate and produce.
For all this and for the continuation of the crisis of drug shortage it was necessary to search and investigate the causes and solutions!
During the meeting of Gamal al-Laith, Chairman of the Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry at the Federation of Industries, in the presence of Minister of Health Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, the Governor of the Central Bank, Hassan Abdullah, and others, he sent letters of reassurance to the Egyptian people about the existence of a solution to pump the needs of the market of foreign currency to end the shortage of medicines. Or psychologically for the patient.
He said: « The medicines that suffer from the shortage, some of them are sugar drugs and other drugs tumors and drugs of the glands and heart, drugs related to chronic diseases, which is now being secured, and we as factories work with a stock of raw materials enough for 4-6 months, and this stock reached only weeks, and therefore we are now in the stage of risk, and therefore the government began to move ».
He added that the health sector is supported by the provision of foreign exchange resources to provide all needs according to a plan to deal with such circumstances, stressing the importance of full coordination between the unified purchasing authority and the pharmaceutical industry room as well as pharmaceutical companies to face any problems related to the shortage of supplies, medicines and medical consumables.
As well as a detailed presentation on the commitments implemented and not implemented in the period from June 2023 to January 2024, with regard to the provision of (medicines, medical supplies, laboratory supplies, devices, raw materials and packing materials), and the Minister was briefed on the results of the mechanisms established with the Central Bank of Egypt to pay the obligations in foreign currency to meet the demands of the health care sector.
In the end, the official spokesman stressed that the shortage of drugs does not exceed 15% and the drugs directed to tumors are at the forefront of the shortcomings because of their close link to the currency and what faces the supply chains, otherwise all drugs and within them are compatible... The complaints are due in their entirety to the lack of knowledge of citizens with the trade names of medicines.
In addition to the above, a severe shortage of anesthetic drugs, dental pening drugs, nephrology and recovery drugs, which will cause a real disaster that threatens the conduct of surgical operations for patients, and thus increase the waiting lists in hospitals and the occurrence of complications for patients that may result in loss of their lives.
The head of the medicine division of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Ali Ouf, revealed that a request will be submitted to the Egyptian Drug Authority early next week to move the prices of 1,500 items in light of what he described as developments in the situation and rising costs.
He pointed out that « the need to raise the wages of workers in the pharmaceutical sector to compensate them for the cost of living and therefore must raise salaries so that they can live in the current conditions and the sector will bear the increase of salaries at the expense of cost and raise the minimum insurance ».
On the shortage of medicines, Amin al-Dabraki, one of the dealers in the pharmaceutical market, said that the main reason for the crisis is the lack of active substances imported by companies.
This is mainly due to the dollar crisis, in addition to the withdrawal of some financial companies from the Egyptian pharmaceutical market.
On the inability of the Ministry of Health to move the prices of medicines with the movement of the exchange rate, he said that the solutions are the intervention of the state by providing a fixed customs dollar for pharmaceutical companies, while moving the prices of medicines, in addition to starting factories to produce active substances inside Egypt.

The pharmaceutical industry faces shortages of raw materials and foreign currency, exacerbating the problem of medicine disappearances.

Manufacturing and quality problems are the primary causes of most drug shortages, with sterile injectable generic drugs being particularly vulnerable.

The lack of transparency in the pharmaceutical industry hinders the response to drug shortages, making it challenging to address the issue.

Global events, such as wars and epidemics, can also exacerbate drug shortages, as well as labor shortages and uneven drug distribution.

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 shortage of certain drugs, including chemotherapy medications, antibiotics, and fever medicines, has been reported in several countries, including the US and France.

Title:

Content: US supply chain crisis continues, FDA points to 111 drug shortages
Global Social Hotspot 16: 35 2021 / 12 / 05
Share:
The supply chain crisis in the United States continues, and many goods are facing shortages.
The US media said that the US pharmacies have a number of critical prescription drugs in stock. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pointed out that about 111 drugs are out of stock in the United States. The FDA stressed that it will continue to take measures to monitor the supply chain.
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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.
【 Omicron variant 】 Study: Omicron carries a cold virus gene or helps avoid the immune system 【 Next 】
Long Island Newspaper Newsday quoted Tom D'Angelo, president of the New York State Association of Pharmacists, as saying the shipping of a large number of medicines, including those for common blood pressure and for the treatment of colds and flu, was blocked.
Because of supply chain problems, the owner of a New York drugstore said there were fewer brands for some drugs, including Ibuprofen.
The National Association of Community Pharmacists (NCPA) released a survey last month that found that most non-chain pharmacies are struggling to fill employee vacancies and cope with supply chain disruptions.
Sixty percent of pharmacies surveyed said they were dealing with supply chain disruptions, and nearly 70 percent said it was difficult to fill staff vacancies.
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Title:

Content: International
International News
Dependent on foreign raw materials fluctuate, big pharmaceutical companies chase short-term profit loss production
The shortage of ADHD drugs is just the tip of the iceberg of the current drug shortage in the United States. According to the FDA, more than 135 drugs are in short supply, including chemotherapy drugs for cancer.
A survey released by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) in early August showed that one-third of the 1,100 hospitals surveyed had no prescription, delayed or reduced prescriptions due to drug shortages to meet the supply window.
Expert analysis, pharmaceutical companies to pursue short-term profit first business model, so that the production of life-saving drugs and demand out of line, drug shortage problem is difficult to improve.
Experts urge pharmaceutical companies to face social responsibility
Rita Numerof, a medical industry consultant, wrote in Forbes magazine that in order to reduce costs, US pharmaceutical companies have long relied on foreign suppliers such as China, India and Italy to import raw materials for the production of drugs, which is prone to fluctuations in supply. They are looking to develop drugs that are more likely to be used for long-term diseases.
Teva, a manufacturer of ADHD drugs and the world ’ s largest generic drug manufacturer, announced earlier that it would reduce the production of some generic drugs and focus on more profitable products. Rumelove warned that if pharmaceutical companies are unwilling to address their social responsibilities and strengthen supply risk management, public trust in the pharmaceutical industry will continue to weaken, and ultimately public health and safety will pay a heavy price.
Focus on the organization to accelerate the use of new generic drugs to increase production incentives
The American Association for Access to Medicines (AAM) released a report last month, saying that because of restrictions on the supply of generic drugs, the supply price of generic drugs is limited, and the return of investment in new drugs is not high. The situation.
(Forbes / DrugTopics)
(Global Hot Talk)
Related Words: Adderall Drug Shortage Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
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Title:

Content: The lack of drugs caused public resentment, the Ministry of Health and Welfare yesterday (27th) held a press conference to announce the 15 most scarce drugs in the country, including antibiotics, fever, diarrhea, etc., and the Director of Health Insurance Shi Chongliang also stressed that the price of drugs will not be adjusted this year. It costs 33% on a single charge, because the cost of the project is much higher than the health insurance price.
From 2015 to 2023, the problem that you want to rely on a press conference to solve? It only shows that the authorities have no plans at all, and the pharmacists have to continue to work hard on their own.
"I sometimes feel that pharmacists put too much of their social responsibility, but at the same time, I am glad that these pharmacists are willing to bear heavy burdens to keep our years quiet." Facebook fan "Sanbao · pharmacist · God Uncle" pointed out in a Facebook post today (28), why is there a shortage of drugs? The number of drugs in the department is not enough to supply the prescription prescribed by the hospital clinic. "
But it is not because of raw materials, because of capacity, or because of the supply chain, which depends on these people who have the resources to trace the source.
Sanbao pharmacist stressed, "before 2020 you say lack of medicine, the Food and Drug Department will tell you that you do not check the word may be fined 3 million!" At that time, he and a friend and a fan group have been reminding the Association of pharmacists to pay attention to lack of medicine, do not hold annual garden parade to whitewash the peace, of course, this argument at that time few people accept, after all, the lottery is what the public like.
And the problem that started in 2015 and continued to swing into 2023, now that I want a press conference to solve? This is as difficult as Xiao Xu getting married before the end of the year and performing a double transformation at the wedding.
Three Treasures Pharmacist bluntly said that yesterday's press conference only highlighted that the authorities had no planning at all, and even the original three-tong policy was an entire situation.
"In my opinion, pharmacists have to continue to work on their own!" To put it mildly, the magnesium oxide produced by the government project (soft stool, acid preparation, 110 years of health insurance use of 250 million pills), pharmacists will pay 33% for each order, because the cost of the project is much higher than the health insurance price.
The pharmacist who is serious about finding drugs to help patients is on the road of the Chao Pharma-Buddha. "There are three children in my family, and it is really impossible to be like the chairman of the board of directors who do not care about remuneration."
# Cai Government # Lack of Drugs # Food and Drug Administration # Ministry of Health and Welfare # Scrap

In the US, the FDA monitors the supply chain to address shortages, but the problem persists, with over 135 drugs in short supply as of 2021.

Pharmaceutical companies' prioritization of short-term profit and reliance on foreign raw materials contribute to drug shortages.

The European Commission has announced measures to reform the pharmaceutical industry, including requiring companies to have safety stocks of medicine.

In Egypt, the shortage of hard currency and the detention of raw materials in ports have worsened the medicine shortage crisis.

Title:

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

The medicine shortage crisis has repeated during Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar's term, despite promises to localize the pharmaceutical industry.

Patients have suffered due to the lack of essential drugs, including insulin and cancer treatments, and health insurance patients have faced shortages and closures of operating rooms.

The exchange rate fluctuations have caused companies to stockpile medicines, further exacerbating the shortage.

Over 1000 drugs have had price increases ranging from 25% to 60% in 2023, making it difficult for patients to access necessary medications.

In France, 44% of people faced a drug shortage in 2024, and 78% of health professionals in oncology had been faced with a drug shortage.

The European Parliament has adopted a position on pharmaceutical reform, aiming to address the issue of drug shortages.

In the US, the White House has proposed $3.26-5.11 billion to address drug shortages, and the FDA needs more power to access drug shortage information.

Title:

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

Manufacturers should be more transparent about supply chain issues, and changes to the US pharmaceutical industry business model may be required to solve the problem.

Drug shortages have significant economic and social impacts, costing facilities at least $359 million per year and affecting over 50,000 pharmacies in North America.

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The shortage of drugs, including cancer medications, steroids, and hormonal drugs, has affected 10-20% of cancer patients, and 93% of cancer centers have reported carboplatin shortages.

Heart medications and emergency syringes are also in short supply, and 1 in 3 health systems delay or cancel care due to shortages.

The US experienced a record 323 drug shortages in the first three months of 2024, affecting over half a million patients.

These shortages were often caused by manufacturing and quality problems, with 32 chemotherapy drugs currently in short supply.

The average shortage lasts over two years, with more than half of treatment shortages lasting over two years.

Growing demand contributes to drug shortages, while the FDA blames supply chain gaps and downtime for shortages.

In France, 4,925 drug shortages occurred in 2023, with 44% of the population facing a drug shortage in 2024.

The European Union announced measures to reform the pharmaceutical industry, including reducing the scientific evaluation of drugs from 210 to 180 days.

In response to medication shortages, the Ministry of Health proposed a short, medium, and long-term strategy to deal with medicine shortages.

Five coping mechanisms exist to address drug shortages, including single processing window, and alternative drugs can be used at the same or lower price than the original prescription.

The FDA disseminates drug supply and alternative drug information through various channels, and a permanent drug shortage treatment center is to be established as a medium-term strategy.

In Jordan, the Ministry of Health faced medication shortages in hospitals from 2021-2023, with a medicine budget of 103.75 million dinars in 2023.

Title:

Content: Lack of medicines in MOH hospitals and accumulation of indebtedness Repercussions / solutions
3 hours ago
Dr. Naeem Malkawi
The problem of shortage of medicines in Jordanian hospitals requires quick and effective attention and intervention, as providing medicines to patients is one of the foundations of quality health care and one of the most important strategies of the Ministry of Health, however, the shortage of medicines in many hospitals leads to health, economic and social challenges that threaten the quality of health care and patient safety.
The budget of the Ministry of Health of medicines, vaccines, vaccines and medical consumables for this year 2023 was estimated at 103.75 million dinars, where the actual for the past year 2022 was 93.8 million dinars.
The question is, how did the Ministry of Health accumulate such a large indebtedness in the item of medicines to reach 300 million dinars for pharmaceutical companies?
And why last week was the debt of 2019 cleared and deducted estimated at 50% of the debt for that year?
This means that there is still a delay in the payment of dues for companies for the years 2020, 2021 and 2022 in addition to eight months of the current year 2023, and this brings us to a range of reasons and challenges:
1.
The aim of the Ministry of Health was to reduce the bureaucracy of procedures and overcome the complexity of procurement references in hospitals and health directorates in the governorates and not to obtain price and discount preferences, but the results indicate a defect in the management and mechanism of dealing with the strategy of unified and central procurement, despite the margin for hospital administrations to use the power of direct purchase in cases of necessity.
2.
Preparation of sub-budgets for hospitals: Evidence shows that there is a problem in the preparation of sub-budgets for hospitals and the main budget of the Ministry of Health with regard to the item of medicines, which is due to the lack of accurate and sufficient data on the number of patients and hospital needs of medicines, and the lack of accurate forecasting of future needs.
3.
Delays in the review of financial claims and invoices between the Ministry of Health and the hospitals on the one hand and the pharmaceutical companies on the other hand, is one of the most important reasons behind the accumulation of indebtedness, and this negatively affects the liquidity of the pharmaceutical companies and hinders them from providing a sustainable service in adhering to the procedures of supplying medicines according to schedule.
4.
Lack of coordination and communication: There may be a lack of coordination and communication between hospitals, the Ministry of Health and pharmaceutical companies, which complicates the supply and distribution of medicines and increases the chances of delays and the depletion of medicines from hospitals in the absence of an effective policy for stock management and the time required for stock adequacy.
5.
Focusing on the trade names of certain drugs from specific production sources and not adopting the protocol of writing the scientific name for the prescriptions of patients.
6.
One of the reasons that may be major and important at the same time is the funding aspect and the lack of the necessary allocations or use them in other aspects other than medicines to fill a deficit or emergency during the use of budget items due to the scarcity of available liquidity. Medication.
Lack of medication can lead to:
1.
Threat to patient safety: Lack of medication puts sick people at risk, as this can lead to delays in receiving necessary treatment or the unavailability of vital drugs, putting their lives at risk.
2.
Economic Implications: The lack of medicines entails additional economic costs for the health system and patients.
Medical cases may be referred to other medical centers or private hospitals, increasing pressure on other MOH budget items.
3.
Pressure on health care workers: Health care workers are under pressure as a result of dealing with patients affected by drug shortages and repeatedly facing their inquiries and complaints.
4.
Social repercussions:
Increased anxiety and stress: A lack of medication can lead to an increase in anxiety and stress among patients and their families, as they live in uncertainty about the availability of the necessary treatment.
Lack of medication can affect the level of trust in the health system among citizens, who may feel that the system is unable to provide them with adequate health care.
Increased costs and social burdens: Some patients may have to incur additional costs to obtain drugs from other sources outside hospitals, affecting their financial and economic status.
After all this narrative there must be ways to overcome these dilemmas:
1.
Preparation of budgets scientifically and professionally: Hospitals should develop more accurate standards for the preparation of sub-budgets for medicines, through the analysis of previous data, estimation of future needs and other scientific and methodological foundations in the preparation of budgets and commitment to apply them accurately.
2.
Improve coordination and communication between parties: Coordination between the Ministry of Health, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies should be strengthened through the establishment of structured mechanisms for information exchange, review of invoices, and completion of claims, and not delay them.
3.
Implementation of fiscal reforms: The Government and the Ministry of Health should implement fiscal reforms that provide funding to cover this important item and pay dues in a timely manner, reduce bureaucracy in the financial audit process, and proceed with payment procedures within the timetable mechanism agreed in the tender terms.
4.
Achieving social responsibility: The government and pharmaceutical companies should adopt a social responsibility towards patients by providing these drugs and reducing their prices in the market to make them more accessible to patients while relieving part of the pressure and burden on hospitals.
Addressing the problem of drug shortages in government hospitals requires comprehensive cooperation between all concerned parties from government, Ministry of Health, hospitals, drug suppliers and patients.
To provide medicines on a permanent basis and to ensure the provision of high quality health care to the Jordanian patient.

The Ministry accumulated 300 million dinars in debt to pharmaceutical companies, which affects pharmaceutical companies' liquidity and service.

Lack of coordination and communication hinders medicine supply and distribution, and inaccurate forecasting of future medicine needs affects hospital budgets.

In Ireland, a paracetamol shortage occurred in 2023 due to Covid-19 and flu cases, impacting prescription products.

Title:

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

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

It is understood the shortage impacted some prescription paracetamol products.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The EU plans a voluntary solidarity mechanism for medicine shortages and proposes an early warning system for drug scarcity.

The European Union also discusses funding for domestic production and encourages reshoring of basic medicine supply.

In the US, health officials debate declaring a public health emergency due to a penicillin shortage, which affects syphilis treatment in major medical centers.

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Content: Today's Paper News Sports Features Business Opinion LEARNS Guide Newsletters Obits Games Archive Notices Core Values
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Rise in syphilis, lack of penicillin worry officials

by Mark Dooley | Today at 4:00 a.m.

A shortage of penicillin to treat a skyrocketing number of syphilis cases is so dire that U.S. health officials are debating the need to declare a public health emergency, according to people familiar with the matter.

Major U.S. medical centers are rationing the recommended treatment for the deadly sexually transmitted disease because of a supply crunch. From Michigan to Missouri to Texas, some health care providers are prioritizing giving a key treatment -- penicillin G benzathine -- to pregnant patients and babies, because the drug can pass through the placenta and also treat the fetus.

Syphilis has been sickening more people over the past few years, but the latest surge in cases has been especially worrying to the federal government. The Department of Health and Human Services is mobilizing a new federal task force to tackle the problem, and staff members are discussing the possibility of declaring a public health emergency, which could give officials access to more funding to address the crisis, according to people familiar with the matter.

"This is a remarkable shortage," said Joseph Cherabie, an assistant professor at Washington University in St. Louis' medical school, who treats syphilis patients. Because of the need to conserve the drug for pregnant patients, other people are getting less-than-ideal treatments for the infection.

The government's efforts are being led by Assistant Secretary for Health Adm. Rachel Levine, according to one of the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. Levine has spent months recruiting experts to tackle the syphilis crisis, including officials at HHS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, which has been brought in to address ongoing drug shortages.

Levine and U.S. health officials at the CDC are weighing the benefits of the public health emergency declaration, such as the additional flexibility and money it would give HHS, one of the people said. They're also considering the potential drawbacks. Some are wary that a pandemic-fatigued public may consider it an overreaction and ignore similar declarations in the future. Ultimately, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra has the power to make a declaration.

"The department is closely monitoring the alarming rise in cases of syphilis and will continue working to address this public health threat," an HHS spokesperson said.

Drug shortages, though not uncommon, have hit nine-year highs in the U.S. Over the past year there have been shortages of antibiotics, chemotherapies and ADHD medicines, to name a few.

The situation is partly a result of under-investment in manufacturing after years of falling generic drug prices. Companies have also been caught off-guard by unexpected changes in demand, creating far-reaching consequences that imperil lives.

The penicillin shortage began in April. The FDA said it was caused by increases in cases of syphilis and strep throat. Because a common antibiotic used to treat strep was in short supply this winter, patients were prescribed penicillin as an alternative, driving up demand for the drug.

That created an acute problem at a time when syphilis cases were rising precipitously. Rates of syphilis in 2021 were the highest since 1990, according to the most updated government data. In 2021, at least 176,000 cases of syphilis were reported, 32% more than the year before. The infection disproportionately impacts gay and bisexual men.

Pfizer Inc. is the only company that makes penicillin G benzathine for the U.S., selling it under the brand name Bicillin L-A.

The company has told the FDA that supply disruptions for the two most common doses of penicillin G benzathine will likely continue into the second quarter of 2024. Pfizer has added night and weekend shifts to increase production. To free up manufacturing resources, it's also deprioritized production of a smaller dose of Bicillin L-A that's not widely used.

Syphilis is especially dangerous for pregnant people, who can pass it on to a fetus, which often results in pregnancy loss, death of a baby shortly after birth or severe disability in children. Cases of this type of syphilis, called congenital syphilis, are also at their highest rates since the 1990s. In 2021, there were 2,855 cases reported, up 32% from the year prior. The disease is completely preventable with penicillin G benzathine.

Penicillin G benzathine is also often the most recommended treatment for people who aren't pregnant. Yet with supplies running short, the CDC is advising that doctors turn to another antibiotic, doxycycline. That's less convenient for patients, because doxycycline is a pill given twice a day for at least two weeks, whereas penicillin G benzathine is an injection that can sometimes clear the disease completely with one dose.

That makes doctors worry that some patients might not complete their treatment with doxycycline. Syphilis particularly affects people suffering from substance abuse, housing instability or homelessness, which makes it more difficult to sustain long-term medical care.

There's also less evidence backing the drug than there is for penicillin, according to physicians.

"We're learning in real time how effective doxycycline can be," Cherabie said.

Some states or health systems are directing doctors to use doxycycline for syphilis. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has instructed state-funded clinics to use doxycycline for certain patients because of the shortage, spokesperson Chelsea Wuth said.

At Houston Methodist, a health system with seven hospitals in the Houston area, penicillin G benzathine is reserved for pregnant patients and babies with syphilis, spokesperson Gale Smith said.

Some clinics have been able to get sufficient amounts of the Pfizer drug, at least for the time being. State-operated health clinics in South Carolina have been able to purchase as much as they need, a spokesperson for the health and environment department said.

While rates of HIV have been declining, other sexually transmitted diseases have become more prevalent in recent years. Condom use has fallen as more effective medications for HIV have become available, leaving people vulnerable to illnesses like syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea.

There are also fewer resources to identify people who need treatment and get them help. STD prevention work happens largely at local and state public-health departments, which have been losing money and staff over the years. The covid-19 pandemic diverted already scarce public health resources away from STD work.

The rise in syphilis cases is also prompting concern at a state level. Last year, New Mexico renewed a statewide public health order mandating that health care providers screen pregnant women for syphilis multiple times to catch the disease. The state had only one case of congenital syphilis reported in 2017. It had 42 in 2020.

Print Headline: Rise in syphilis, lack of penicillin worry officials

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The penicillin shortage began in April 2021 due to increased syphilis and strep throat cases, and supply disruptions will continue into 2024.

China reported a 2023 drug shortage that was fully addressed by 2024, with the National Health Commission improving the drug shortage classification system.

Community Health Systems partnered with Mark Cuban's drug company in 2023 to secure shipments of epinephrine

Community Health Systems partnered with Mark Cuban's drug company in 2023 to secure shipments of epinephrine

Community Health Systems partnered with Mark Cuban's drug company in 2023 to secure shipments of epinephrine