Between 2021 and 2024, global shortages of medications and medical supplies were widespread, affecting both developed and developing countries and impacting a diverse range of patients.

Critical drugs such as sterile injectable generics—including chemotherapy medications—antibiotics like amoxicillin and penicillin, insulin, anesthetics, painkillers (paracetamol), blood thinners, and diabetes drugs (Ozempic, Mounjaro) were among those in short supply across the U.S., EU, Canada, Egypt, Estonia, and elsewhere.

Other affected items included sodium chloride solution, adrenaline for allergies, and children’s antibiotics and cold medicines.

Hospitals and pharmacies were frequently forced to ration drugs, find substitutes, or even close operating rooms in response to severe shortages, causing direct harm to patients, including delayed treatment for cancer and chronic illnesses, long queues, and drug price spikes of up to 80% in places like Egypt .

The root causes of these shortages were complex and varied by region but consistently included supply chain disruptions, such as dependence on overseas manufacture and active ingredient sourcing from China and India, compounded by pandemic-related production delays, inflation, and transportation bottlenecks.

Demand spikes—triggered by infectious surges, increased use of drugs for new indications (e.g., weight loss), and panic buying—put additional strain on supply.

In developing countries like Egypt and Jordan, raw material import issues, currency volatility, bureaucratic procurement processes, and payment delays worsened the crisis, especially for life-saving drugs .

Authorities responded with a mix of emergency actions and policy adjustments, such as early warning and reporting systems, increased transparency requirements for manufacturers, use of government reserves in Estonia, voluntary cross-border cooperation in the EU, and ramped-up inspections and domestic manufacturing in Egypt.

Between 2021 and 2024, global shortages of medications and medical supplies were widespread, affecting both developed and developing countries and impacting a diverse range of patients.

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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Critical drugs such as sterile injectable generics—including chemotherapy medications—antibiotics like amoxicillin and penicillin, insulin, anesthetics, painkillers (paracetamol), blood thinners, and diabetes drugs (Ozempic, Mounjaro) were among those in short supply across the U.S., EU, Canada, Egypt, Estonia, and elsewhere.

Title:

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

Other affected items included sodium chloride solution, adrenaline for allergies, and children’s antibiotics and cold medicines.

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. ”

Hospitals and pharmacies were frequently forced to ration drugs, find substitutes, or even close operating rooms in response to severe shortages, causing direct harm to patients, including delayed treatment for cancer and chronic illnesses, long queues, and drug price spikes of up to 80% in places like Egypt .

Title:

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

The root causes of these shortages were complex and varied by region but consistently included supply chain disruptions, such as dependence on overseas manufacture and active ingredient sourcing from China and India, compounded by pandemic-related production delays, inflation, and transportation bottlenecks.

Title:

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

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

It is understood the shortage impacted some prescription paracetamol products.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Demand spikes—triggered by infectious surges, increased use of drugs for new indications (e.g., weight loss), and panic buying—put additional strain on supply.

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

Authorities responded with a mix of emergency actions and policy adjustments, such as early warning and reporting systems, increased transparency requirements for manufacturers, use of government reserves in Estonia, voluntary cross-border cooperation in the EU, and ramped-up inspections and domestic manufacturing in Egypt.

Title:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2023. All rights reserved.
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Between 2021 and 2024, global shortages of medications and medical supplies were widespread, affecting both developed and developing countries and impacting a diverse range of patients.

Critical drugs such as sterile injectable generics—including chemotherapy medications—antibiotics like amoxicillin and penicillin, insulin, anesthetics, painkillers (paracetamol), blood thinners, and diabetes drugs (Ozempic, Mounjaro) were among those in short supply across the U.S., EU, Canada, Egypt, Estonia, and elsewhere.

Other affected items included sodium chloride solution, adrenaline for allergies, and children’s antibiotics and cold medicines.

Hospitals and pharmacies were frequently forced to ration drugs, find substitutes, or even close operating rooms in response to severe shortages, causing direct harm to patients, including delayed treatment for cancer and chronic illnesses, long queues, and drug price spikes of up to 80% in places like Egypt .

The root causes of these shortages were complex and varied by region but consistently included supply chain disruptions, such as dependence on overseas manufacture and active ingredient sourcing from China and India, compounded by pandemic-related production delays, inflation, and transportation bottlenecks.

Demand spikes—triggered by infectious surges, increased use of drugs for new indications (e.g., weight loss), and panic buying—put additional strain on supply.

In developing countries like Egypt and Jordan, raw material import issues, currency volatility, bureaucratic procurement processes, and payment delays worsened the crisis, especially for life-saving drugs .

Authorities responded with a mix of emergency actions and policy adjustments, such as early warning and reporting systems, increased transparency requirements for manufacturers, use of government reserves in Estonia, voluntary cross-border cooperation in the EU, and ramped-up inspections and domestic manufacturing in Egypt.

However, these measures often could not fully resolve persistent shortages, highlighting the need for broader, systemic reform of global pharmaceutical supply chains .

Between 2021 and 2024, global shortages of medications and medical supplies were widespread, affecting both developed and developing countries and impacting a diverse range of patients.

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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Critical drugs such as sterile injectable generics—including chemotherapy medications—antibiotics like amoxicillin and penicillin, insulin, anesthetics, painkillers (paracetamol), blood thinners, and diabetes drugs (Ozempic, Mounjaro) were among those in short supply across the U.S., EU, Canada, Egypt, Estonia, and elsewhere.

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

Other affected items included sodium chloride solution, adrenaline for allergies, and children’s antibiotics and cold medicines.

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. ”

Hospitals and pharmacies were frequently forced to ration drugs, find substitutes, or even close operating rooms in response to severe shortages, causing direct harm to patients, including delayed treatment for cancer and chronic illnesses, long queues, and drug price spikes of up to 80% in places like Egypt .

Title:

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

The root causes of these shortages were complex and varied by region but consistently included supply chain disruptions, such as dependence on overseas manufacture and active ingredient sourcing from China and India, compounded by pandemic-related production delays, inflation, and transportation bottlenecks.

Title:

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

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

It is understood the shortage impacted some prescription paracetamol products.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Demand spikes—triggered by infectious surges, increased use of drugs for new indications (e.g., weight loss), and panic buying—put additional strain on supply.

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

Authorities responded with a mix of emergency actions and policy adjustments, such as early warning and reporting systems, increased transparency requirements for manufacturers, use of government reserves in Estonia, voluntary cross-border cooperation in the EU, and ramped-up inspections and domestic manufacturing in Egypt.

Title:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2023. All rights reserved.
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However, these measures often could not fully resolve persistent shortages, highlighting the need for broader, systemic reform of global pharmaceutical supply chains .

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Content: General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
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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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