Between 2021 and 2024, global medication shortages impacted both developed and developing nations, driven by supply chain disruptions, demand surges, and manufacturing delays.

In the United States, the first quarter of 2024 saw a record 323 drug shortages including Ozempic, Mounjaro (for diabetes), adrenaline, amoxicillin for children, and key chemotherapy drugs.

The main causes were fragmented supply chains and unprecedented demand spikes, particularly for weight-loss medications.

Hospitals responded by diverting or rationing chemotherapy, and authorities proposed significant investments, transparency requirements, and enhanced FDA oversight to diversify suppliers .

In Estonia, drug shortages increased from 183 to 450 medications between 2021 and 2023, affecting antibiotics, antipyretics for children, and medications for renal diseases.

Causes included heightened demand (notably for weight-loss drugs), raw material shortages, and international supply problems.

Mitigation strategies included releasing state reserves, insurance discounts for alternatives, and coordinated communication to prevent panic buying .

Taiwan experienced its worst drug shortage in 30 years in 2023, with over 200 drugs—such as heart and allergy medications—affected due to pandemic aftershocks, Ukraine-related disruptions, and shipping delays.

Patients often struggled to find replacements and engaged in stockpiling.

The government maintained price controls but this contributed to some manufacturers exiting the market, worsening shortages .

In Russia, 2022 shortages resulted mainly from panic buying and sudden demand spikes, particularly for antituberculosis and HIV medications.

The Ministry of Health secured contracts for essential medicines through centralized procurement and anticipated manufacturer adaptation based on pandemic experience .

Between 2021 and 2024, global medication shortages impacted both developed and developing nations, driven by supply chain disruptions, demand surges, and manufacturing delays.

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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In the United States, the first quarter of 2024 saw a record 323 drug shortages including Ozempic, Mounjaro (for diabetes), adrenaline, amoxicillin for children, and key chemotherapy drugs.

Title:

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

The main causes were fragmented supply chains and unprecedented demand spikes, particularly for weight-loss medications.

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

In Estonia, drug shortages increased from 183 to 450 medications between 2021 and 2023, affecting antibiotics, antipyretics for children, and medications for renal diseases.

Causes included heightened demand (notably for weight-loss drugs), raw material shortages, and international supply problems.

Mitigation strategies included releasing state reserves, insurance discounts for alternatives, and coordinated communication to prevent panic buying .

Taiwan experienced its worst drug shortage in 30 years in 2023, with over 200 drugs—such as heart and allergy medications—affected due to pandemic aftershocks, Ukraine-related disruptions, and shipping delays.

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Content: The epidemic disrupted the supply chain, coupled with the shortage of raw materials caused by the war between Ukraine and Russia, caused the "biggest shortage of drugs in 30 years" in Taiwan at the beginning of last year. With the coming of the Chinese New Year, patients are worried about hoarding goods, and I am afraid that the shortage of drugs will become more serious.
A domestic pharmaceutical company recently received a call from a patient, the original patient has a heart disease, has been taking self-funded drugs, but recently faced the problem of lack of drugs, the doctor can not prescribe the same drugs, so the patient urgently asked the pharmaceutical company directly.
The drug factory staff, who did not want to be named, revealed that "it is not only this patient, but these patients even set up groups to find out where they can buy drugs, forcing them to call us after they have no way out."
Wang Ming-yuan, deputy spokesman of the All Federation of Pharmacists Association, said: "Last year, the shortage of drugs was the most serious situation since the outbreak of the epidemic, resulting in lack of labor and logistics. Now, with the release of the epidemic, the shortage of drugs has slowed down slightly.
For example, many patients with allergic rhinitis have been short of medicine for four months, Wang says, "Because it contains ephedrine, which is a controlled drug, the FDA only puts two batches of raw materials a year, so it is easy to run out of medicine.
Another reason for the shortage of drugs is the price of health insurance drugs. Due to the price cut, about 36% of the market share of "tears point eye" withdrew from the health insurance market in November last year. The drug used in the past in the health insurance annual consumption of more than 2.3 million bottles, which is equivalent to 190,000 bottles per month. And...
Shen Tsai-ying, a pharmacist, criticized officials for only treating head pain and foot pain. She said that the price of "love tears" health insurance is more expensive, health insurance has not saved money at all, and now even the domestically produced "Wufu" and other artificial tears brands are all out of stock.
Shen Caiying predicts that this wave of artificial tears shortage will continue until at least the Spring Festival.
Since the implementation of the "Drug Expenses Target System" (DET) in 102 years, the National Health Insurance Administration has set the target value of annual drug expenditure to maintain a stable and reasonable range of drug expenses. Under the total payment system, effective control of drug expenditure. Last year, the total drug price was reduced by 8.18 billion yuan, and the price of 5,500 drugs was reduced.
"The price of water and electricity is rising, but the price of health insurance has been cut!"
Shen Caiying pointed out that the price of drugs is constantly being cut, and pharmaceutical companies have no choice but to withdraw from the health insurance market, which has led to a more serious shortage of drugs.
In recent years, the Red Sea has been involved in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, and it has been attacked by Yemeni youth movement organizations, endangering the traffic of commercial ships. Large shipping companies have announced that they will stop sailing in the Red Sea and switch to the Cape of Good Hope in southern Africa, resulting in soaring freight costs. 180% increase.
Wang Ming-yuan laments that the situation at the freight gate will probably be the same as during the epidemic, and that the shortage of medicines will certainly increase, and with the arrival of the Chinese New Year, the public's "stockpiling" mentality will probably trigger a wave of drug snatching.
More CTWANT News
# Lack of medicine # Red Sea crisis # Lack of medicine # Original medicine

Patients often struggled to find replacements and engaged in stockpiling.

The government maintained price controls but this contributed to some manufacturers exiting the market, worsening shortages .

In Russia, 2022 shortages resulted mainly from panic buying and sudden demand spikes, particularly for antituberculosis and HIV medications.

Title:

Content: • March 21, 2022, 13: 33
Health Ministry: shortage of drugs in pharmacies may be caused by increased demand
Deputy head of the Ministry of health: the shortage of drugs in pharmacies is associated with increased demand
The possible shortage of drugs in Russian pharmacies will be associated not with a shortage of drugs, but with increased demand.
This was stated by the Deputy head of the Ministry of health Sergey Glagolev.
Glagolev believes that the shortage of drugs in pharmacies will provoke an increase in demand from both ordinary residents and medical institutions.
“Those possible shortcomings that we see at the stage of the implementation of drugs in pharmacies are not associated with the termination of the supply of medicines, not with the termination of the supply of components, shortage of pharmaceutical substances or excipients, but mainly with increased demand, ” he said.
Glagolev stressed that the Ministry of Health had previously signed contracts for the purchase of a number of medicines under centralized mechanisms.
The number of contracts is 85%.
The list includes medicines for the treatment of tuberculosis and HIV.
Also purchased drugs for sale within the national calendar of preventive vaccinations.
The high demand for medicines is associated with the increase in prices for a number of pharmaceutical and other products.
According to Glagolev, pharmaceutical manufacturers will quickly adapt to new conditions if they apply the experience of the pandemic period.

The Ministry of Health secured contracts for essential medicines through centralized procurement and anticipated manufacturer adaptation based on pandemic experience .


Between 2021 and 2024, global medication and medical supply shortages substantially affected everyday patients in both developed and developing countries, with causes and responses varying by region but consistently reshaping access to care.

In the United States, shortages reached record numbers, impacting essential drugs such as cancer chemotherapy agents, stimulants for ADD, antimicrobials, diabetes medications, pediatric antibiotics, and critical care drugs.

For individual patients, the disruptions were immediate and personal.

Parents frequently described driving long distances to locate scarce ADD medications, only to find none available or face the prospect of paying for expensive substitutes.

The lack of access led to missed school days for children and increased financial strain on families.

Cancer patients often became subjects of triage: hospital authorities sometimes delayed, switched, or even canceled chemotherapy cycles, resulting in psychological distress, anxiety over disease progression, and fears about the adequacy of replacement regimens.

During the penicillin G benzathine shortage, pregnant women and infants with syphilis were prioritized for limited drug supplies, while other vulnerable groups, such as homeless or high-risk individuals, had to rely on less effective or more cumbersome alternatives like doxycycline, raising concerns about adherence and suboptimal outcomes.

Rationing in the U.S. had varied forms: hospitals commonly adopted strict triage protocols, prioritizing patients most likely to benefit or at highest risk; pharmacies dispensed partial prescriptions or suggested doctor-approved alternatives; and some states authorized healthcare institutions to use nonstandard substitutes to stretch remaining stocks .

To address these ongoing crises, U.S. authorities implemented a broad array of responses.

The federal government proposed up to $5 billion in investments for pharmaceutical supply-chain resilience.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) introduced draft guidelines requiring drugmakers to report any anticipated production disruptions or shortages at least six months in advance, intended to provide early warnings and facilitate prompt interventions.

Authorities also promoted transparency by seeking improved coordination between manufacturers, regulators, and health systems, and recommended digital tracking tools, incentives for domestic manufacturing, and diversification efforts to limit reliance on foreign suppliers .

In Europe, direct patient experiences similarly typified the hardships caused by shortages.

In France, cancer patients widely reported anxiety and worsening health due to treatment interruptions.

According to surveys, 78% of oncology professionals encountered drug shortages in 2023, with many recounting patient anxiety over delayed chemotherapy or improvised medication regimens.

Advocacy groups responded by demanding increased transparency from pharmaceutical companies—specifically, public access to manufacturing plans, current inventory levels, real-time supply-chain data, pricing strategies, and advance notification of production suspensions or withdrawals.

These transparency measures aimed to allow authorities and providers to anticipate shortages, better coordinate substitute therapy logistics, and limit patient distress.

Rationing here included pharmacies dispensing only limited supplies when stocks ran low, encouraging alternative medications, or directly advising healthcare providers of the need for substitution .

In Estonia and broader parts of Europe, parental responses to shortages of pediatric fever syrups were marked by anxiety and even hoarding behavior, with families purchasing multiple bottles when available, sometimes leaving others without.

Hospitals treating heart attacks and strokes grappled with intermittent access to crucial medications.

Effective rationing there involved distributing state reserves, tightly coordinating among healthcare institutions to prioritize the most serious cases, and adjusting insurance schemes to subsidize the costs of substitute drugs for patients.

Authorities also used proactive communication—issuing stockpiling advice and real-time updates—to prevent panic and support continuity of care for severe conditions .

Developing countries often faced compounded challenges but adopted unique mitigation strategies.

In Egypt, patients at public hospitals reported long queues for essential drugs, regularly leaving empty-handed or forced to pay inflated prices for scarce alternatives.

Many recounted skipping doses or facing life-threatening gaps in care.

The causes ranged from near-total dependence on imported raw materials and currency shortages to diversion of medicines into regional black markets.

The Egyptian government responded not with digital stock monitoring but by convening regular meetings between officials and industry leaders, directly allocating foreign currency for critical medical imports, and publishing frequently updated lists of alternative drugs to help prescribers and patients identify available options.

Distribution of state reserves was also used, with frequent public communication about drug availability—a contrast to the more technologically driven inventory and insurance coordination strategies of wealthier countries .

In Taiwan, shortages spanned critical drugs such as antibiotics, fever reducers, and treatments for gastrointestinal diseases.

Patients reported difficulties in filling prescriptions or sudden medication changes.

The burden of crisis mitigation disproportionately fell to pharmacists, who spent considerable time locating potential substitutes and counseling patients when preferred options were unavailable.

The government’s consistent approach was to preserve price stability and issue targeted subsidies, while professional organizations pushed for improved strategic planning and real-time shortage monitoring.

Distinctly, direct crisis communication and contingency adaptation—whether informing the public about temporary alternatives or urgently reallocating limited budgets—characterized the Taiwanese and other regional responses .

In summary, the shortage crisis from 2021 to 2024 fundamentally disrupted patient care and the daily functioning of health systems worldwide.

In wealthier countries, mitigation centered on regulatory oversight, digital tracking, economic incentives, and insurance adaptation, often facilitated by technological and industrial capacity.

In contrast, developing nations relied more heavily on direct government-industry coordination, urgent allocation of financing for imports, state reserves, and public outreach.

Across all contexts, rationing strategies typically reflected broader resource limitations, with hospitals and pharmacies prioritizing the sickest, those with the greatest chance of benefit, or the most vulnerable (such as children, pregnant women, and cancer patients).

Patients everywhere experienced anxiety, disruptions in care, additional expenses, and, in the worst cases, deteriorating health.

The crisis has led to strengthened calls for global, not just national, solutions in manufacturing transparency, economic support, and diversification of supply, but systemic vulnerabilities remain a pressing challenge .

Between 2021 and 2024, global medication and medical supply shortages substantially affected everyday patients in both developed and developing countries, with causes and responses varying by region but consistently reshaping access to care.

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. ”

In the United States, shortages reached record numbers, impacting essential drugs such as cancer chemotherapy agents, stimulants for ADD, antimicrobials, diabetes medications, pediatric antibiotics, and critical care drugs.

For individual patients, the disruptions were immediate and personal.

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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Parents frequently described driving long distances to locate scarce ADD medications, only to find none available or face the prospect of paying for expensive substitutes.

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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The lack of access led to missed school days for children and increased financial strain on families.

Cancer patients often became subjects of triage: hospital authorities sometimes delayed, switched, or even canceled chemotherapy cycles, resulting in psychological distress, anxiety over disease progression, and fears about the adequacy of replacement regimens.

During the penicillin G benzathine shortage, pregnant women and infants with syphilis were prioritized for limited drug supplies, while other vulnerable groups, such as homeless or high-risk individuals, had to rely on less effective or more cumbersome alternatives like doxycycline, raising concerns about adherence and suboptimal outcomes.

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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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Rationing in the U.S. had varied forms: hospitals commonly adopted strict triage protocols, prioritizing patients most likely to benefit or at highest risk; pharmacies dispensed partial prescriptions or suggested doctor-approved alternatives; and some states authorized healthcare institutions to use nonstandard substitutes to stretch remaining stocks .

To address these ongoing crises, U.S. authorities implemented a broad array of responses.

The federal government proposed up to $5 billion in investments for pharmaceutical supply-chain resilience.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) introduced draft guidelines requiring drugmakers to report any anticipated production disruptions or shortages at least six months in advance, intended to provide early warnings and facilitate prompt interventions.

Title:

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

Authorities also promoted transparency by seeking improved coordination between manufacturers, regulators, and health systems, and recommended digital tracking tools, incentives for domestic manufacturing, and diversification efforts to limit reliance on foreign suppliers .

In Europe, direct patient experiences similarly typified the hardships caused by shortages.

In France, cancer patients widely reported anxiety and worsening health due to treatment interruptions.

According to surveys, 78% of oncology professionals encountered drug shortages in 2023, with many recounting patient anxiety over delayed chemotherapy or improvised medication regimens.

Advocacy groups responded by demanding increased transparency from pharmaceutical companies—specifically, public access to manufacturing plans, current inventory levels, real-time supply-chain data, pricing strategies, and advance notification of production suspensions or withdrawals.

These transparency measures aimed to allow authorities and providers to anticipate shortages, better coordinate substitute therapy logistics, and limit patient distress.

Rationing here included pharmacies dispensing only limited supplies when stocks ran low, encouraging alternative medications, or directly advising healthcare providers of the need for substitution .

In Estonia and broader parts of Europe, parental responses to shortages of pediatric fever syrups were marked by anxiety and even hoarding behavior, with families purchasing multiple bottles when available, sometimes leaving others without.

Hospitals treating heart attacks and strokes grappled with intermittent access to crucial medications.

Effective rationing there involved distributing state reserves, tightly coordinating among healthcare institutions to prioritize the most serious cases, and adjusting insurance schemes to subsidize the costs of substitute drugs for patients.

Authorities also used proactive communication—issuing stockpiling advice and real-time updates—to prevent panic and support continuity of care for severe conditions .

Developing countries often faced compounded challenges but adopted unique mitigation strategies.

In Egypt, patients at public hospitals reported long queues for essential drugs, regularly leaving empty-handed or forced to pay inflated prices for scarce alternatives.

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.

Many recounted skipping doses or facing life-threatening gaps in care.

The causes ranged from near-total dependence on imported raw materials and currency shortages to diversion of medicines into regional black markets.

The Egyptian government responded not with digital stock monitoring but by convening regular meetings between officials and industry leaders, directly allocating foreign currency for critical medical imports, and publishing frequently updated lists of alternative drugs to help prescribers and patients identify available options.

Distribution of state reserves was also used, with frequent public communication about drug availability—a contrast to the more technologically driven inventory and insurance coordination strategies of wealthier countries .

In Taiwan, shortages spanned critical drugs such as antibiotics, fever reducers, and treatments for gastrointestinal diseases.

Patients reported difficulties in filling prescriptions or sudden medication changes.

The burden of crisis mitigation disproportionately fell to pharmacists, who spent considerable time locating potential substitutes and counseling patients when preferred options were unavailable.

The government’s consistent approach was to preserve price stability and issue targeted subsidies, while professional organizations pushed for improved strategic planning and real-time shortage monitoring.

Distinctly, direct crisis communication and contingency adaptation—whether informing the public about temporary alternatives or urgently reallocating limited budgets—characterized the Taiwanese and other regional responses .

In summary, the shortage crisis from 2021 to 2024 fundamentally disrupted patient care and the daily functioning of health systems worldwide.

In wealthier countries, mitigation centered on regulatory oversight, digital tracking, economic incentives, and insurance adaptation, often facilitated by technological and industrial capacity.

In contrast, developing nations relied more heavily on direct government-industry coordination, urgent allocation of financing for imports, state reserves, and public outreach.

Across all contexts, rationing strategies typically reflected broader resource limitations, with hospitals and pharmacies prioritizing the sickest, those with the greatest chance of benefit, or the most vulnerable (such as children, pregnant women, and cancer patients).

Patients everywhere experienced anxiety, disruptions in care, additional expenses, and, in the worst cases, deteriorating health.

The crisis has led to strengthened calls for global, not just national, solutions in manufacturing transparency, economic support, and diversification of supply, but systemic vulnerabilities remain a pressing challenge .

Title:

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

These models are typically trained on large datasets of recorded speech, capturing both linguistic content and nuanced vocal characteristics, enabling multilingual and emotional mimicry in outputs.

Leading systems like OpenAI's Voice Engine, ElevenLabs, and open-source projects such as Tortoise have made voice cloning increasingly accessible and convincing, fueling both innovation and concern .

Use cases are diverse.

In entertainment, AI clones recreate celebrity voices for dubbing and recreate performances posthumously.

For accessibility, these systems help restore speech to those with impairments.

In education, voice AI can provide customized listening comprehension materials, including authentic dialects or accent variation for language learners.

However, the technology is also misused; scammers clone voices to impersonate family members or public officials in fraud and phishing schemes .

Real-world issues illustrate the technology’s reach and risk.

OpenAI’s use of voices resembling public figures, as well as incidents involving ElevenLabs’ tools used without consent, highlight recurring legal disputes around authorization and likeness.

Synthesia, which licenses the voices of actors for avatars, has also faced allegations of unauthorized use .

Legally, AI-generated voices can implicate copyright, rights of publicity, and consent requirements.

In the US, the FCC has ruled that cloning voices for robocalls or scams is illegal under the TCPA, requiring informed authorization.

Cross-border enforcement and definitions of what constitutes unauthorized use remain emerging and unresolved issues .

Ethically, risks include the spread of deepfakes, emotional manipulation, misinformation, and misuse of personal likeness without consent.

AI voice cloning is a technology that uses deep learning models to generate highly realistic synthetic speech resembling specific human voices, often requiring only brief audio samples to create a convincing clone.

Title:

Content: The scary side of artificial intelligence

The pros of AI outweigh the Cons or threats in our day-to-day lives, and there’s no magic pill to protect us from the scary threats of AI.

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  • Updated On Oct 3, 2023 at 03:02 PM IST

Artificial intelligence (AI), as we all know, is the simulation of human intelligence leveraging computer systems and machines. AI programs can continuously learn and evolve with experience. In technical terms, AI systems render the output by churning and analyzing the data for correlations and patterns and help make future predictions using these patterns.

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Today AI is being used extensively in all facets of our lives starting from lifestyle, e-commerce, home appliances, automobiles, navigation, transport, healthcare, agriculture, education, financial planning, chatbots, marketing, cyber security, virtual assistant, industrial automation and many more.

Clearly, we have and are leveraging the strengths of AI to the fullest to automate the routine tasks and make it auto-learn over a period. There’s no doubt that AI has revolutionized the lives of all – organizations, consumers etc. But as they say, “Everything comes at a price”. This analogy is quite true for AI as well, there have been a lot of threats that have emerged using AI and are being utilized by the Cyber criminals to dupe the ignorant users, cause mental stress and extort money.

continued below

Executive Workshop

I’m not going to delve into all of threats but would like to elucidate some of the real ones that have come to the surface recently:

Voice cloning or mimicry

As the name suggests, it uses machine learning algorithms to simulate anyone’s voice. It requires certain voice data to analyze and learn the specific patterns of any individual. There are certain advantages of cloning a voice that can be used in voice assistants, chatbots, navigation systems and other areas. Voice cloning has existed for a while but was restricted to experts who possess the technical knowledge to be able to use the same. But now AI Voice cloning tools are available on the open Internet that anyone can leverage with literally no technical knowledge or cost to clone anyone’s voice. All you need to do is just Google and it will pop up and get a bunch of both free and paid AI Voice cloning tools.

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In fact, recently one of the global leaders in online protection published a report stating how AI is fueling a rise in online voice scams, with just three seconds of audio required to clone a person’s voice. This is extremely creepy. Just imagine, if a Cyber-criminal clones your voice and tricks your near ones by making them believe that they are talking to you, and request for money due to any distress reasons. In fact, these are not assumptions but real-life incidents that are happening across the world every minute.

Deepfakes AI

Deepfakes AI are being used to impersonate an individual by manipulating videos, images, audios, and other content available on the social media platforms using deep learning techniques. It mainly transforms existing content from one person to another. This is another area that has been exploited by the Cyber criminals in the recent past, and there are a few deepfake cases that have made waves on the Internet. One of the most famous ones being Deepfake created by a VFX artist of one of Hollywood’s most famous male actors. This piece was so well made by rendering thousands of pictures using artificial versions of the actor. There are similar Deepfakes incidents involving other global celebrities and leaders. The damage and misuse of the deepfakes videos could be extremely dangerous for the human society and can be used by terrorists to incite riots and create nuisance.

Creating virtual people

This is another area where AI is being used to create people that do not exist. There are a lot of websites that allow you to generate a random image by just specifying the age group, gender & ethnicity, and you can continue to refresh these images at the click of a button. Be mindful of the fact that these images pertain to people that do not exist in this world. On the similar lines, there’s an emerging trend of AI news anchors that possess a human-like appearance and are fed data that they can read using text-to-speech technology. Recently, there's been a surge of AI-Driven robotic new anchors in multiple language channels. While the main objective of this initiative is to provide royalty free or cost-effective human images for branding and other purposes. However, the overuse of these technologies causes Fear of missing out (FOMO), Feeling of inadequacy, dissatisfaction, and isolation may potentially lead to psychological and emotional vulnerabilities.

One of the Hollywood movies, ‘HER’ portrayed an introverted and lonely writer (Joaquin Phoenix) who purchases an AI virtual assistant personified through a female voice to assist him in his writing job. However, when he finds out about its ability to learn and adapt, he falls in love with it. The film delves into emotional vulnerability and the impact of AI on human relationships.

Needless to say, that the pros of AI outweigh the Cons or threats in our day-to-day lives, and there’s no magic pill to protect us from the scary threats of AI. However, there are certain preventive tips that one can follow to mitigate any such risks. Do spread awareness with your family and friends:

  • Set some code words with family, and friends to verify the identity during emergency circumstances
  • Optimize social media presence by limiting your connections with only known contacts and avoid connecting with any unknown ones
  • Avoid saying ‘Yes’ as a greeting while receiving unknown calls as it can be used to authorize credit card charges or other purposes
  • Continuously update privacy settings on social media to allow viewing by friends and family only
  • Avoid clicking on any suspicious links or calls received without proper due diligence
  • Do not share your passwords and other sensitive information with anyone
  • Verify the credentials of any online information before circulating it through various mediums
  • Avoid public Wi-Fi connections offered at coffee shops or airports, which requires to enter password
  • Closely monitor the time spent by younger generation on social media and online gaming
  • Finally, in case of any suspicion, double check and report it to the host site or concerned authorities
The author is the CIO of MOVIN

Disclaimer: The views expressed are solely of the author and ETCIO does not necessarily subscribe to it. ETCIO shall not be responsible for any damage caused to any person/organization directly or indirectly.

  • Published On Oct 3, 2023 at 03:02 PM IST

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What is necessary for voice cloning to work?

These models are typically trained on large datasets of recorded speech, capturing both linguistic content and nuanced vocal characteristics, enabling multilingual and emotional mimicry in outputs.

Title:

Content: OpenAI's Johansson gaffe pushes voice cloning into spotlight

Law enforcement warned that AI clones could be used to extort money from loved ones over the phone

By AFP

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Scarlett Johansson voiced an AI character in the film "Her". — Reuters file

Published: Mon 27 May 2024, 7:51 PM

Last updated: Mon 27 May 2024, 7:52 PM

OpenAI was forced to apologise to actor Scarlett Johansson last week for using her voice -- or something very similar -- on its latest chatbot, throwing the spotlight on to voice-cloning tech.

Although OpenAI denied the voice they used was Johansson's, their case was not helped by CEO Sam Altman flagging the new model with a one-word message on social media -- "Her".

Johansson voiced an AI character in the film "Her", which Altman has previously said is his favourite film about the technology.

Right from the start, AI voice cloning has proved problematic.

Last year, British firm Elevenlabs went viral for all the wrong reasons when it released its voice-cloning software.

Internet pranksters immediately began pushing out deepfaked celebrities -- Harry Potter star Emma Watson was shown reading Hitler's Mein Kampf.

Law enforcement warned that AI clones could be used to extort money from loved ones over the phone.

The technology has developed rapidly in the past year becoming far more realistic and nuanced.

Danish entrepreneur Victor Riparbelli, CEO of British AI firm Synthesia, told AFP it was largely down to a program called Tortoise that was released two years ago.

The program's developers threw thousands of hours of voice data into their model in an unstructured way and discovered it not only learnt what to say but how to say it.

"That was a pretty big paradigm shift," Riparbelli said on the sidelines of last week's VivaTech conference in Paris.

Tortoise was an open source program and Elevenlabs was the first to go to market using it.

OpenAI uses similar systems though they do not release any details.

Much of the controversy around voice cloning has focused on concerns over people misusing the software.

But the claim against OpenAI is unusual because it is the company itself accused of playing fast and loose.

"It was very unfortunate that OpenAI did that -- really not very good," Katya Laine, CEO of TALKR.ai, told AFP at VivaTech.

"If they actually cloned her voice without her knowing then I think that's very very bad," said Riparbelli.

The two entrepreneurs are among hundreds harnessing AI voice programs for uses that they argue will make companies more efficient.

Laine's firm provides virtual voice assistants -- essentially AI customer service agents.

She said her firm's system could now resolve 25 to 30 percent of calls without any human involvement.

Synthesia specialises in video avatars, which Riparbelli said allowed any office worker to turn text or slides into a video performed by a realistic AI.

Both Riparbelli and Laine allow their clients to use their own avatars, off-the-shelf products or those supplied by the likes of OpenAI and Elevenlabs.

Riparbelli said Synthesia used actors whose likenesses and voices were licensed for two years with an option to renew after the initial period.

The problems arise if actors' voices are used without their consent.

The fiasco overshadowed a developer conference in Paris last week when OpenAI was showing off a suite of new tools.

In front of a big screen in an auditorium, Romain Huet, OpenAI's Head of Developer Experience, breezily chatted into his phone.

Seconds later, his short voice sample had been processed and could be heard commentating over a generated video -- in five languages.

The demonstration showed how quickly the field is moving, but the headlines had already been written.

The Washington Post asked in a newsletter "How dumb is OpenAI?", other commentators were suggesting wunderkind Altman was nothing more than a huckster.

Nonetheless, Riparbelli was open to OpenAI's argument that they had used another actor who just sounded liked Johansson.

"If it's not her but someone who sounds a lot like her... where do you draw that line," Riparbelli asked.

"If they're not allowed to use someone who sounds a lot like her, then it sets a very odd precedent."

More news from World

Deepdub, a film dubbing company, uses an AI to process voice and translate into a different language and promises to preserve what?

What is necessary for voice cloning to work?

Leading systems like OpenAI's Voice Engine, ElevenLabs, and open-source projects such as Tortoise have made voice cloning increasingly accessible and convincing, fueling both innovation and concern .

Use cases are diverse.

Title:

Content: There were 107 press releases posted in the last 24 hours and 446,378 in the last 365 days.
VoiceAI, technology for local dialects, transforming global customer service experiences
NeuralSpace launches AI voices in local languages
NeuralSpace logo
NeuralSpace's VoiceAI platform
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, December 10, 2023 / EINPresswire.com / --
NeuralSpace, a leader in linguistic artificial intelligence, has launched a transformative voice technology feature within its VoiceAI platform, offering realistic artificial sounds in Arabic, Hindi and English.
The innovation, unveiled on December 11, marks a major development in sound technology, offering speech formulation with unparalleled precision, especially in local dialects such as Saudi Arabia.
Three main advantages characterize NeuralSpace ’ s offerings:
Cultural Interaction: Artificial sounds capture the essence of local dialects, fostering deep communication between users and technology in regions such as Saudi Arabia, India and the English-speaking world.
Instantaneous Interaction: VoiceAI technology provides instantaneous, natural-sounding voice feedback, which is essential for dynamic speech generation in virtual assistants and voice response systems.
Ease of integration: The technology is sophisticated but easy to use, allowing developers to effortlessly optimize their applications.
VoiceAI for NeuralSpace meets the growing demand for accurate transcription, speech analytics and authentic synthetic sounds.
These AI sounds are finely tuned to real-world interactions, providing engaging and realistic user experiences.
Felix Le Mans, CEO and co-founder of NeuralSpace, said:
“NeuralSpace was founded with a vision to make the technology globally available in any language.
Today, with the release of our natural AI sounds, we are one step closer to turning this dream into reality.
Our human-quality Saudi, Indian and English voices in AI are not just revolutionizing technological innovation; they are gateways to make dialectical interactions with technology a tangible experience for everyone. ”
About VoiceAI: This platform and application programming interface (API) allow companies to copy, translate and analyze voice data with exceptional accuracy, especially in Arabic and Hindi.
Key features include up to 91% copy accuracy for these languages, surpassing major tech brands.
The platform also ensures high-level data security through in-house deployment, NeuralSpace ’ s ISO 27001 certification and compliance with the General Data Protection Law.
NeuralSpace invites you to integrate VoiceAI into your systems, and promises to change customer experiences.
The platform can be accessed via a code-free web platform, REST APIs, and Python SDK, ensuring easy integration.
About NeuralSpace: At the forefront of linguistic artificial intelligence, NeuralSpace is committed to technologies that enhance human-machine communication.
VoiceAI embodies this vision, reflecting the diversity and richness of human languages.
For more information, demos or enquiries, visit www.neuralspace.ai or contact sales @ neuralspace.ai.
NeuralSpace ’ s latest innovation is more than just a technological advance; it ’ s a step towards a future where you not only understand technology but also speak with a voice that resonates with the cultural richness of human languages.
Melanie Swamy-Brown
NeuralSpace
melanie @ neuralspace.ai
Visit us on social media:
Twitter
LinkedIn
Youtube

How will educational institutions benefit from developing AI voice audio content for languages learners?

In entertainment, AI clones recreate celebrity voices for dubbing and recreate performances posthumously.

Eleven Labs is extending its voice cloning services for which industries?

For accessibility, these systems help restore speech to those with impairments.

In education, voice AI can provide customized listening comprehension materials, including authentic dialects or accent variation for language learners.

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Content: ChatGPT ’ s new feature makes it possible to synthesize realistic vocals in just 15 seconds OpenAI: not available yet
Author: Au Jingluo
Published: Updated:
OpenAI has decided to postpone the release of its new software, Voice Engine, which can copy and synthesize realistic human voices in just 15 seconds of recording. OpenAI says it is too risky to release the tool now.
Voice Engine was developed in 2022 and the original version was used for the Text-to-Speech feature of ChatGPT.
However, OpenAI wants to expand it into a tool for simulating speech, copying the sounds of real people.
“We want to start a conversation about the responsible application of synthetic sound and how society responds to these new capabilities, ” OpenAI said in a blog post.“ Based on the results of small-scale testing, we will be more informed about whether and how to deploy this technology at scale. ”
A giant AI logo at the Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, China, on July 6, 2023. (Reuters)
In the article, OpenAI shares practical examples of partners trying this technology.
For example, the edtech company Age of Learning uses it to generate script voiceovers, while the AI voice company HeyGen uses user recordings to translate directly, such as using audio samples from French users to simulate users reading English.
It doesn ’ t take much variety to make a realistic simulation, and one of the demonstrations uses only 15 seconds of recording to successfully replicate.
OpenAI says it won ’ t release the technology publicly at this time because it ’ s too risky.
The company called on the community to discuss “policies to protect the use of individual voices in AI ” and“ educate the public about the capabilities and limitations of AI technology, including the possibility of fraudulent content. ”

How will educational institutions benefit from developing AI voice audio content for languages learners?

Enhance language comprehension
Respond to different learning demands

However, the technology is also misused; scammers clone voices to impersonate family members or public officials in fraud and phishing schemes .

Title:

Content: Moving at rapid speed, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has just announced its unanimous adoption of a new Declaratory Ruling finding that voice calls using artificial intelligence (AI)-generated voices fall under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

The ruling takes effect immediately and gives state attorneys general powerful new tools to go after voice cloning scams. Under FCC rules, telemarketers that use robocalls subject to the TCPA are required to obtain prior express written consent from the consumer unless an exemption applies. The TCPA has always prohibited the use of both prerecorded and artificial voices but advances in AI-generated voices have prompted the FCC to specifically address their use.

In recent years, scammers and other parties have begun using AI to create fake and even "cloned" artificial voices, including those of celebrities, politicians, and even a call recipient's family member. In this election season, there has been increasing concern about the use of voice clones to engage in voter suppression schemes.

Concerned about the potential malevolent uses of these AI-generated voice calls, the FCC issued a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) in November on the topic of "Implications of Artificial Intelligence Technologies on Protecting Consumers from Unwanted Robocalls and Robotexts." In the NOI, the FCC asked questions regarding the use of "AI-influenced" technologies in robocalling. A coalition of 26 state attorneys general, as well as a telecommunication carrier trade group, strongly urged the FCC to take action to give the attorneys general clear authority to act against AI-generated robocall violators.

The FCC now has made clear that the use of voice cloning in telephone calls and texts falls within the FCC's statutory authority under the TCPA. A major intent of the ruling is to communicate that the TCPA "does not allow for any carve-out of technologies that purport to provide the equivalent of a live agent, thus preventing unscrupulous businesses from attempting to exploit any perceived ambiguity in our TCPA rules."

As FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel explained, "with this Declaratory Ruling, we will have another tool to go after voice cloning scams and get this junk off the line."

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

Real-world issues illustrate the technology’s reach and risk.

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Speech cloning raises concerns, OpenAI again explains its text-to-speech tool
2024 / 6 / 10 9: 57: 21 Source: IT House Author: Yuanyang Editor: Yuanyang
OpenAI explained its text-to-speech tool for the second time in a few months, and again stressed that the tool is not currently widely available and may not be available in the future.
“Whether or not we end up deploying this technology at scale, it ’ s important for people around the world to understand where it ’ s going, ” OpenAI said in a statement on its website Friday.“ That ’ s why we want to explain how the model works, how we use it for research and education, and how we implement security measures around the technology. ”
At the end of last year, OpenAI shared its “voice engine ” with a small number of external users.
The engine uses text input and a 15-second clip of human voices to “generate a natural sounding human voice that is very similar to the original speaker. ”
The tool could create fake, multilingual human voices, and the company said at the time that it had chosen to preview the technology rather than launch it at scale to “enhance social resilience ” to the threat posed by“ increasingly realistic artificial intelligence-generated models. ”
As part of these efforts, OpenAI says it is actively phasing out ways to use voice recognition for bank account verification, exploring policies to protect individual voices for use in AI, educating the public about the risks of AI, and accelerating the development of technologies to track audiovisual content so users can identify whether they are interacting with real people or synthetic content.
However, despite these efforts, concerns about the technology remain.
Bruce Reed, the head of artificial intelligence for US President Joe Biden, has said that voice cloning is one of the reasons he can't sleep at night.
The Federal Trade Commission said in March that scammers were using AI technology to increase the credibility of their fraud, using voice cloning tools that make it harder for people to distinguish between AI-generated voices and human voices.
“We continue to engage with U.S. and international partners from government, media, entertainment, education, civil society, and more to ensure we incorporate their feedback in the build process, ” the company also noted, once the“ Voice Engine ” is equipped with its latest model, GPT-4o, it will also bring new threats.
The company says it is actively “conducting ‘ red team testing ’ on GPT-4o to identify and address known and unknown risks from areas such as social psychology, bias and fairness, and misinformation. ”
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OpenAI’s use of voices resembling public figures, as well as incidents involving ElevenLabs’ tools used without consent, highlight recurring legal disputes around authorization and likeness.

Synthesia, which licenses the voices of actors for avatars, has also faced allegations of unauthorized use .

Legally, AI-generated voices can implicate copyright, rights of publicity, and consent requirements.

In the US, the FCC has ruled that cloning voices for robocalls or scams is illegal under the TCPA, requiring informed authorization.

Cross-border enforcement and definitions of what constitutes unauthorized use remain emerging and unresolved issues .

Ethically, risks include the spread of deepfakes, emotional manipulation, misinformation, and misuse of personal likeness without consent.

What are some risks regarding AI voice clning?