Medicine shortages: Implications for the Australian healthcare system

Abstract

Shortages in medicine supply are usually associated with the now well-known representation of impoverished, underdeveloped countries suffering famine, episodes of vast epidemics, and accounts of immeasurable morbidity and mortality. However, it has become alarmingly clear that medicine shortages are now occurring in the most developed countries in the world and for several reasons.1 Media headlines describe severe shortages and high costs of workarounds, impact on patient safety, and many other outcomes resulting from lack of access to necessary medicines. In a country such as Australia, “the lucky country”, it is difficult to imagine our healthcare system suffering shortages of medicines. Unimaginable some would think. However, the reality is that medicine shortages are indeed creeping into our system, with the potential to cause havoc, as already observed in several other developed countries.2 The medical profession simply cannot function without medicines and medicinal products, particularly those pertinent to specialist areas of practice where there may be only limited choices of treatment or workarounds if and when necessary. Medicine shortages will be an ongoing topic of interest as issues evolve and hopefully, we in Australia begin to develop preventative and mitigating measures to avoid the consequences of having our heads in the sand.