Between November 2019 and January 2020, EAHP collected information on medicines shortages from hospital pharmacists, patients and other healthcare professionals, such as physicians and nurses. 30, No. Current Drug Shortages Drug shortages can have a significant impact on patient care and public health. Drugs in short supply often include sterile injectables and potentially life … Medicines shortages, in particular during the COVID-19 pandemic, are not only a concern for hospital pharmacists but also for those working in the field of oncology. This is particularly the case for patients taking medicines which have a significant clinical consequence when doses are missed, such as anti-psy… As well as asking how survey participants would like to see medicines shortages handled and/or resolved on the policy level. These latter issues may overshadow any problems caused by Brexit. January 2001 to September 30, 2020 Note: Each column represents the number of new shortages identified during that year. EAHP has been active on the issue of medicines shortages for over ten years and has conducted several Medicines Shortages Surveys throughout the years. Drug shortages can occur for many reasons. In May 2019, EAHP together with 30 national and European associations of patients, consumers, healthcare professionals and public health advocates approached the European Commission with the request to start an investigation into the factors leading to medicines shortages. In September, the initiative gathered more than 40 organisations and reached out the to the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) committee of the European Parliament. Overall the 2019 Medicines Shortages Report revealed that the current problem has continued to worsen. There will be a transition period until the end of 2020, while the UK and EU negotiate additional arrangements. Shortages of such medicine place the ability to provide timely administration of a particular medicine under threat. In a letter addressed to the ENVI committee's chair, its vice chairs and the group coordinators, the initiative highlighted their growing concern about medicines shortages and called upon the ENVI committee to act. The most recent survey collected data between November 2019 and mid-January 2020. In July alone, cancer patients were unable to access treatment in Italy, shortages of neurological drugs reached an “ unprecedented scale ” in Poland and the total number of unavailable drugs in Belgium reached a new record. And it is difficult to get a clear picture of how much of taxpayers' money has actually been spent on the now WHO-disputed drug. Further, this blog post will also cover the Brexit ramifications for the EU-27 member states in light of potential drug shortages within their own respective national territories. Medicine shortages can occur for many reasons, such as manufacturing difficulties or problems affecting the quality of medicines that can impact on patient care. The report outlined potential consequences of leaving the EU without a deal on issues such as travel, immigration, fuel and food shortages. Efforts to harmonize the notification and communication requirements for drug shortages in the EU will take a step forward this month when regulators adopt a common definition of a shortage together with a number of guidance documents. The interruption of the manufacturing process of agalsidase beta has led to a worldwide shortage of this drug. 2, 2016 184 Regulation Drug regulators themselves have limited scope for action, since while they can keep a drug off the market, they cannot require a company to make a product. The European Society of Oncology Pharmacy (ESOP) is consequently collecting regular information on the situation. Selected feedback has been displayed in infographics: The 2019 Medicines Shortages Survey looked at the impact of medicines shortages in the hospital environment. The past few years have seen increasing concern about drug shortages. Virus not yet causing drug shortage in Europe, says EU Measures to tackle the coronavirus outbreak have not yet led to reports of drug shortages in the European Union… In particular, it explored issues such as the communications of medicines shortages within hospitals, current management strategies and possible reasons for shortages and their impact on patients. Meanwhile, the price of the drug is to be €345 per phial - on average €2,070 per treatment. But the drugs aren’t being widely used by the general public. “The drug shortage did not begin with the Covid-19 crisis, which brought it to the forefront. In the EU, most medicine shortages are dealt with at national level by national competent authorities. Managing medicines shortages and ensuring continuity of supply can also cause the diversion of significant amounts of the time and attention of a hospital pharmacist from other tasks important in the provision of high quality, safe and efficacious care. European Medicines Agency (EMA) publishes information on specific medicine shortages that affect or are likely to affect more than one European Union (EU) Member State, where EMA has assessed the shortage and provided recommendations to patients and healthcare professionals across the EU. UK Developments The UK Government has recently introduced what are known as Serious Shortage Protocols ( SSPs ) under the Human Medicines (Amendment etc.) Hospital pharmacists play a key role in managing medicines shortages within hospitals, but they are not the only stakeholders which are affected. The situation with regard to drug shortages has been called a public health emergency. The common position paper touches on possible causes of shortages and proposes measures to prevent and manage supply shortages of medicines in the current regulatory framework. The HPRA is responsible for co-ordinating the management of shortages of human medicines on the Irish market. European Medicines Shortages Research Network - addressing supply problems to patients (Medicines Shortages) The problems created by supply shortages of medicines have been widely reported by healthcare professionals and patients over recent years, and acknowledged at the European level by the European Medicines Agency and European Commission. [Europe] Maia Anderson, Drug shortages expected to worsen as COVID-19 hospitalizations surge, Becker’s Hospital Review, 22 October 2020. Currently, shortages.eu is focused on the European Economic Area. advises national governments to evaluate if their shortages measures and management systems are fit for purpose and to rectify shortcomings where and when needed; urges national governments and healthcare organisations to evoke appropriate staffing levels in order to lower the impact that medicines shortages currently have on the overall patient services provided by hospital pharmacists; calls on the European Commission to urgently commence an investigation of the medicines shortage problem looking at the causing factors and propose solutions that will help alleviate or solve shortages; appeals for improved information exchange between authorities and supply chain actors as well as best practice sharing and implementation support on shortage management strategies between relevant national regulatory bodies to support patient safety; and. EAHP would like to thank its member associations who supported the data collection! EAHP has been active on the issue of medicines shortages for over ten years and has conducted several Medicines Shortages Surveys throughout the years. According to the regulatory body, no reports of current shortages or supply disruptions of medicines marketed in the EU due to this outbreak have been received as of yet. Approaches to prevent and mitigate supply interruptions, such as mandatory notification by manufacturers of current In particular the percentage of hospital pharmacists reporting shortages to be an issue in terms of delivering the best care to patients has seen a significant increase with 95% of respondents, compared to 91.8% in 2018 stressing that medicines shortages are a problem faced in their hospital pharmacy. That is 420 times higher than estimated manufacturing costs. National Drug Shortages: New Shortages by Year. Medicines shortages WHO Drug Information Vol. However, medicine shortages are already widespread in the UK and the EU due to long-standing structural problems in the medicines supply chain. EAHP supports this data collection which can be accessed via ESOP's website. In most cases shortages can be addressed at a national level, depending on the type of medicine and the type of shortage. Medicines are not simple items of commerce, they are an essential component of patient care and in the hospital sector they must be administered to the patient in a timely manner. In 2012, the EAHP adopted its first position paper on medicines shortages which outlined the responsibilities of the different supply chain actors. begins with European Union–then alphabetical by country [Europe] Bhavia Mandalia, COVID-19 a global drug shortage, Pledge Times, 14 November 2020. Past EAHP Medicines Shortages Reports have highlighted the increasing burden of medicines shortages in European hospitals. For veterinary medicines, shortages are managed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. EMA shortages catalogue. This is particularly the case for patients taking medicines which have a significant clinical consequence when doses are missed, such as anti-psychotics, anti-epileptics, immunosuppressives and anti-cancer drugs. Together with the Association of European Cancer Leagues (ECL), the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), France Assos Santé and Prescrire, EAHP has put together a list of actions (see HERE) that should be prioritised. It is still unclear whether there will be an agreement on health-related issues. Its mission is to collect, analyse and share information about ongoing medicines shortages in Europe. Introduction. The feared shortage of Remdesivir is no longer an issue. The inter-agency Drug Shortage Task Force, which was led by FDA, oversaw the analysis of drug shortage data and development of recommendations in response to a … This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information:verify here. The United Kingdom (UK) withdrew from the European Union (EU) on 31 January 2020 and is no longer an EU Member State. Medicines are not simple items of commerce, they are an essential component of patient care and in the hospital sector they must be administered to the patient in a timely manner. National Drug Shortages: New Shortages by Year - Percent Injectable Read it HERE! Problems caused by medicines shortages are serious, threaten patient care in hospitals and require urgent action. Detailed information on EAHP's three medicines shortages surveys is available via the following links: In 2013, a common position paper was formed through the European Medicines Agency patient and healthcare professional stakeholder groups. Problems caused by medicines shortages are serious, threaten patient care in hospitals and require urgent action. The good news is that many ISPE members around the world have contributed their time and expertise to develop ISPE’s Drug Shortage It was published on 7 April 2020. Medicines shortages cause serious problems for patients, health professionals and health systems. Last year (July 2019), the EMA issued two guidance documents, respectively to pharmaceutical companies and national regulators in the European Union (EU), to develop and coordinate actions to better prevent, identify, manage, and communicate drug shortages. urges the EMA and the HMA to consider the development of a comprehensive communication strategy on medicines shortages. A letter to the European Commission was prepared by European pharmacy associations (EAHP, EIPG and PGEU) to request action. The UK left the European Union on 31 January 2020, following Parliamentary approval of the withdrawal agreement. National registers. Read EAHP's position paper on medicines shortages HERE. Drug Shortages in Europe is a non-profit project created for hospital pharmacists and other healthcare workers. National legislation on hospital pharmacy, European Association of Hospital Pharmacists, EAHP Survey on the future crisis preparedness of hospital pharmacies. Between 2000 and 2018, shortages in the EU increased 20-fold and according to a note by the European Commission are rising for widely used essential products. In early 2017, the medicines supply chain stakeholders (AESGP, EAHP, EAEPC, EFPIA, EIPG, GIRP, Medicines for Europe, PGEU) issued a joint statement on information and medicinal products shortages. Due to the lack of information on medicines shortages, EAHP has started to collect evidence on medicines supply shortages in the hospital sector, its prevalence, nature and impacts for patient care. The report also addressed a potential medicine shortage. Drug shortages in Europe are hitting all-time highs — and countries are looking to Brussels for an answer. University of Utah Drug Information Service Contact: Erin.Fox@hsc.utah.edu, @foxerinr for more information. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information:verify here. The ISPE Drug Shortages Prevention Plan is an actionable plan intended to help the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry avoid drug shortages that result from manufacturing and quality issues. EU Drug Shortage Network Pilot Moves Into Second Phase A single point of contact network that is expected to help EU countries share information on medicines shortages has completed its first phase and will be spread more widely this year. Identified during that year 's 2019 medicines shortages in the hospital environment the market. Whether there will be a transition period until the end of 2020, while the UK EU... 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