Image: Getty
Medicine shortages continue to affect Australians, with critical drugs for conditions such as diabetes, ADHD, and mental health issues in limited supply.
At the time of publishing, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has 412 current shortages listed for Australia on its website, with 75 anticipated shortages and 266 discontinuations.
Dr Danielle McMullen, a GP and President of the Australian Medical Association(AMA), explained that medicine shortages can happen for several reasons.
Manufacturing errors can cause delays in releasing batches, while shipping challenges, especially in global logistics, can make it harder to bring products into Australia. Additionally, surges in demand, such as the recent spike in demand for Ozempic for diabetes treatment, can outpace supply, further contributing to shortages.
Despite limited medicine supplies, Dr McMullen stated that there have been no significant life-threatening events related to the shortages.
“So, luckily, to my knowledge, there haven’t been any significant life-threatening events related to shortages, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a serious problem.
Dr McMullen acknowledged that patients had been forced to visit multiple pharmacies and switch to alternative brands due to the shortage but claimed that the AMA put safeguards in place to help address the issue.
“We do have a number of safeguards already in place. So some good things that the TGA has been doing is making sure that for a certain number of critical medicines that we have six months supply onshore.”
The organisation is calling for a new forum to address the ongoing problem of medicine shortages. The forum would aim to improve communication between doctors, patients, and stakeholders, ensuring better coordination in addressing supply issues.
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