New med shortage tool
May 28, 2014
THE Medicine Shortages
Information initiative has launched
to provide healthcare professionals
with up to date information
about current, projected and
resolved medicine shortages and
discontinued medicines.
The website was launched by
Assistant Minister for Health Fiona
Nash and has three components:
a protocol for communication and
management of shortages; the
website; and the subscription alert
service.
The website was developed
through a partnership with
Medicines Australia, the Generic
Medicines Industry Association
(GMiA) and the Therapeutic Goods
Administration (TGA).
TGA national manager Professor
John Skerritt said projections were
for 150 to 200 medicine shortage
cases reported each year, not
necessarily for obscure drugs.
“Until today, there has been no
timely, consistent, coordinated
communication channel for
medicine shortages in Australia.”
The initiative brought Australia
in line with the USA, Canada,
Europe and the UK, but with a non-regulatory,
cooperative approach
with industry and running the
website with a maximum of two
staff, he said.
GMiA ceo Kate Lynch said the
initiative had been executed
in under a year due to TGA
prioritisation.
GMiA and the TGA were
collaborating on a number of high
priority issues currently, including
ways to improve efficiencies
and reduce red tape burden for
sponsors, she said.
Medicines Australia ceo Dr
Brendan Shaw said there were
multiple factors that contributed
to unanticipated shortages
in medicines supply such as
manufacturing problems or
unexpected disease outbreaks.
“This information initiative
will provide the tools needed to
communicate effectively to the
regulator and companies ahead
of time, reducing the possibility of
patients not being able to access
their prescribed medicine due to
a supply shortage, and minimising
the impact on patients.”
To view the site, CLICK HERE.
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