MEDICINES shortages are continuing to impact pharmacies across the country, with TACS (Technical And Customer Services)Healthcare Health Policy Specialists, Sharon Leadbitter, reporting a 400% increase in the number of new notifications to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in the 2018/19 year.
In an article posted on LinkedIn, Leadbitter noted 1,455 shortage notifications were made in 2018/19 compared to 274 in the 12 months prior.
Pharmacy Guild of Australian Victorian Branch President, Anthony Tassone, told Pharmacy Daily that medicines shortages have plagued the sector in recent years.
"Supply issues and medicine shortages have been an ongoing problem and frustration for many years, and the Guild welcomed working with the Government in 2017 and 2018, which resulted in bringing in stronger reporting requirements for manufacturers at the beginning of this year," he said.
"However, reporting alone does not resolve the problem and we believe there is still more that must be done.
"We'd like to see the Government work again with key stakeholders, including pharmacists, prescribers and consumers, to consider what further needs to be done to improve the situation.
"From a patient perspective, medicine shortages can result in frequent brand changes, or paying higher prices if the only reliable supply has a brand price premium or is non-PBS listed or even worse -- possibly risk going without.
"With the recent declaration by the Minister for Health, Greg Hunt and State and Territory Ministers at COAG that the 'Quality use of medicines and Medicines Safety' is a national health priority, the continuity and assurance of the supply chain is absolutely central and critical in helping achieve that."
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 06 Nov 19
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 06 Nov 19
