Medicine shortages an NZ and global issue

Otautahii - Common remedies, especially generics including antibiotics, have been running scarce in various regions worldwide – causing concern among patients and consumers, the government and industry.

A confluence of factors is driving the shortfall, including increased infections, inflation, supply-chain disruptions and regulations.

New Zealand pharmacists have been asked to limit the amount of medication they prescribe to some users, as shortages of an antidepressant has hit Aotearoa.

Pharmac has been advised fluoxetine hydrochloride 20 mg capsules, a medicine generally used to manage depression and anxiety, was in short supply.

Global manufacturers and healthcare leaders should take the lead to ensure sustainable supply and emerging, innovative partnership models could also play a role in establishing resilience.

When seasonal bugs have people running to the doctor or pharmacy for medicines to bring down a temperature or soothe a child’s cough, it can be frightening to hear that they can’t help because they are out of stock.

Europe, for instance, is experiencing shortages of common medicines. In the latest survey of medicine shortages conducted by the pharmaceutical group of the European Union (EU), 100 percent of the 29 countries reported experiencing shortages of medicines among community pharmacists and 76 percent said that shortages were worse than the previous year, 2021.

About 79 percent of respondents reported shortages of anti-infectives for systemic use; while 76 percent found it difficult to get hold of drugs for respiratory problems; and a range of other conditions, including cardiovascular and gastrointestinal were also highlighted.

But medicine shortages are not unique to the EU region. The UK is experiencing an HRT shortage. US hospitals are reporting supply problems with liquid ibuprofen; while a sudden increase in ADHD diagnoses in the US has led to an unexpected shortage in the drugs used to treat it there.

In Mexico, chronic medicine shortages are so dire that many prescriptions couldn’t be fulfilled in 2022, while across Asia, sudden supply drops were linked to disruptions in China and in Australia, the TGA has confirmed various shortages have been seen, and rural areas may be worst affected.

There are several reasons for the medicine shortages. Covid lockdowns limited the normal circulation of seasonal bugs. This weakened our immune systems and led to higher-than-normal outbreaks of seasonal illnesses, which has increased the annual average demand for medicines that should alleviate them.

Pharmaceutical companies could not quickly meet these unexpected demands, as excess capacity is limited to control costs.

Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine continues to impact supply chains and the knock-on effect of high inflation and energy prices have hit generic drug manufacturers, who are sometimes subjected to pricing regulations, particularly hard.

Furthermore, to protect their limited medicine supplies, some countries have temporarily blocked the parallel trade of medicines to other countries. And, once an over-the-counter drug shortage is announced on the news, consumers begin stockpiling.