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How to address medicines shortages: Findings from a cross-sectional study of 24 countries

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  • Vogler, Sabine
  • Fischer, Stefan

Abstract

Shortages of medicines have become a major public health challenge. The aim of this study was to survey national measures to manage and combat these shortages. A questionnaire survey was conducted with public authorities involved in the Pharmaceutical Pricing and Reimbursement Information (PPRI) network. Reponses relating to measures as of March / April 2020 were received from 24 countries (22 European countries, Canada and Israel). In 20 countries, manufacturers are requested to notify – usually on an obligatory basis – upcoming and existing shortages, which are recorded in a register. Further measures include a regular dialogue with relevant stakeholders (18 countries), financial sanctions for manufacturers in cases of non-supply and/or non-compliance with reporting or stocking requirements (15 countries) and simplified regulatory procedures (20 countries). For defined medicines, supply reserves have been established (14 countries), and legal provisions allow the issuing of export bans (10 countries). Some measures have been introduced since the end of 2019 and countries are planning and discussing further action. While governments reacted by taking national measures, the COVID-19 crisis might serve as an opportunity to join forces in cross-country collaboration and develop joint (e.g. European) solutions to address the shortage issue in a sustainable manner. A practical first step could be to work on a harmonisation of the national registers.

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  • Vogler, Sabine & Fischer, Stefan, 2020. "How to address medicines shortages: Findings from a cross-sectional study of 24 countries," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(12), pages 1287-1296.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:hepoli:v:124:y:2020:i:12:p:1287-1296
    DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2020.09.001
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    RePEc Biblio mentions

    As found on the RePEc Biblio, the curated bibliography for Economics:
    1. > Economics of Welfare > Health Economics > Economics of Pandemics > Specific pandemics > Covid-19 > Health > Allocation and rationing

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    1. Sabine Vogler & Katharina Habimana & Manuel Alexander Haasis, 2022. "Purchasing medicines for the public sector: Evaluation of the performance of centralised procurement in Portugal," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(4), pages 2007-2031, July.
    2. Matthias Klumpp & Dominic Loske & Silvio Bicciato, 2022. "COVID-19 health policy evaluation: integrating health and economic perspectives with a data envelopment analysis approach," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 23(8), pages 1263-1285, November.
    3. Sabine Vogler & Katharina Habimana & Manuel Alexander Haasis & Stefan Fischer, 2024. "Pricing, Procurement and Reimbursement Policies for Incentivizing Market Entry of Novel Antibiotics and Diagnostics: Learnings from 10 Countries Globally," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 22(5), pages 629-652, September.
    4. Vogler, Sabine, 2024. "Tackling medicine shortages during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: Compilation of governmental policy measures and developments in 38 countries," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).

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