Stockpiling Of Drugs Research Articles

Questionnaire Survey on Stockpiling Medicines for Disasters in Pharmacies in Gifu City in Anticipation of Nankai Trough Earthquake.

In recent years, Japan has experienced a series of earthquakes and torrential rain disasters in various regions, and in Gifu City, there is concern about the possibility ofNankai Trough earthquakes in the near future. However, pharmacists' awareness of disaster preparedness and status of drug stockpiles in pharmacies are not clearly outlined. A survey on disaster prevention and stockpiling was conducted in 286 pharmacies in Gifu City. Data were collected from August to the end of October 2022. A simple aggregate was used in the study. The response rate was 66.8% (191 pharmacies). Among them, 9.9% (19 pharmacies) had stockpiles of medicines for disasters, in which 33.3% of the medicines needed in the early stages of a disaster were above the average overall stockpiling rate. In addition, 2.1% (4 pharmacies) selected medicines according to national or prefectural manuals, and 96.3% (184 pharmacies) preferred to have the "national or local government" bear the cost of stockpiling. This study allowed us to understand the stockpiling situation of pharmacies in Gifu City in event of a disaster such as the Nankai Trough earthquake, which is likely to occur in the future. Based on these results, it is necessary to consider measures for disaster stockpiling.

Drug supply and assurance: a cross-sectional study of drug shortage monitoring varieties in China

BackgroundDrug shortage is a worldwide problem that seriously threatens public health. China released the most comprehensive list of key drug shortage monitoring varieties ever in 2022. We aim to analyze the attributes and characteristics of the medicines within the list to provide a reference for improving China’s supply security of shortage drugs.MethodsWe used public data to extract information on drug types, dosage forms, indications, classification of clinical uses, whether they were included in medical catalogs such as the National Essential Drugs, and the number of drug and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturers. A descriptive statistical analysis was used.ResultsOf the 980 drugs on the list, 99.59% were chemicals and 92.65% were injectables. Drugs for blood and hematopoietic organs, the cardiovascular system, and the digestive tract and metabolism ranked among the top three shortages. Verification of the medical catalogs showed that 90.41% of the drugs belonged to the national essential drugs, 95.10% were medicare drugs, 2.55% were volume-based procurement drugs, and 14.70% were for rare diseases, and 42.04% were for children. In terms of drug supply capacity, 21.33% of drug approvals are less than 10, and there were even 26 drugs for exclusive production, close to 90% of manufacturers need to purchase APIs from outside. Among the 256 APIs included in the list, 152 APIs had less than 10 manufacturers, and there were even 5 APIs produced by only one enterprise nationwide.ConclusionsThe situation of drug shortages in China was severe and complex, with serious shortages of medicines adapted to basic medical and healthcare needs and clinically necessary medicines, and a need to improve the production capacity of drugs and the ability to supply APIs. We recommend strengthening drug monitoring and stockpiling and accelerating the approval of shortage drugs to improve drug supply security.

Coping with drug shortages: A study of government-enterprise option cooperation stockpiling strategies for drugs in shortage considering API surrogate stockpiling subsidies.

Drug shortage is a global problem, and the development of government-enterprise cooperative stockpiles of drugs in shortage, combining physical and production capacity, has become one of the most important means of coping with drug shortages. However, existing studies have tended to overlook the fact that shortages of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) have become an important constraint on production capacity stockpiling and that the lack of incentives and provisions for coordination of benefits have led to a double marginal effect of joint stockpiling by government and enterprises of drugs in shortage. Accordingly, this study introduced the option contract to the drug supply system composed of government and pharmaceutical enterprises and used the subsidy of API storage in lieu as an important initiative to incentivize the reserve of APIs, to construct a model of shortage drug reserve under the government's leadership. This study aims to improve the effect of government-enterprise joint stockpiling of drugs in shortage, which is of great theoretical and practical significance. According to the classification of production license types of pharmaceutical enterprises, this study established a three-level supply chain decentralized decision-making model consisting of the government, formulation enterprises, and API enterprises, and a two-level supply chain centralized decision-making model consisting of the government and API Formulation (API-F) integrated enterprises, respectively. By solving the inverse order derivation, the government-enterprise option cooperation conditions and optimal decision-making strategy were derived. The study results showed that: (i) The addition of enterprise API stockpiling mode can help the government conventional reserves, and enterprise production capacity reserves, broaden the way of drug reserves, and improve the effect of government-enterprise option cooperation; (ii) when the probability of drug shortages is high, the government should prefer the cooperation of API-F integrated enterprises, which is conducive to reducing intermediate links and government costs and improving the supply responsiveness to shortages of medicines; (iii) Setting appropriate government subsidies for API storage can incentivize enterprises to stockpile APIs and improve drug production capacity and physical supply response capability. This study took the problem of socialized stockpiling of drugs in shortage as an entry point and explored the problems and solution strategies in the government-enterprise cooperative stockpiling of drugs in shortage, which not only made some theoretical contributions to the application of options contract in the government-enterprise cooperative stockpiling of drugs in shortage but also provided new ideas and theoretical basis for the improvement of the stockpiling work of drugs in shortage.

Evaluation of Medication Planning with ABC-VEN Analysis at Indriati Solo Baru Hospital

Background: Implementation of ABC-VEN drug planning evaluation can improve the efficiency of drug stockpiles, reduce the risk of vacuum, and ensure optimal drug availability for patient care.Objectives: In this study, an evaluation of the 2021 drug plan was carried out at Indriati Solo Baru Hospital using ABC-VEN combination analysis to know the percentage proportions of each group as well as the characteristics of the drug.Methods: The type of research is descriptive analysis using quantitative data performed retrospectively. Primary data was used from direct interviews with the head of the pharmacy and logistics unit, as well as secondary information in terms of drug planning activities. Samples are data on drug planning, acquisition, and use in 2021. The data are then analyzed using the ABC-VEN method.Results: The results of the study show the percentage of drug items in groups A, B, and C at 13.28%, 20.68%, and 66.04%, with investment values of 69.99%, 19.99%, and 10.02%. Whereas in groups V, E, and N, there are 18.55%, 71.18%, and 10.28% with an investment value of 23.92%, 65.51%, and 10.57%. The evaluation results using the combination method ABC-VEN obtained drugs from the categories Priority (P), Main (M), and Supplementary (S), which are 148 items, 568 items, and 82 items.Conclusion: The use of ABC-VEN methods in drug stock evaluation is essential to accurately identify PMS medicines so that drug supply planning and management are more efficient and effective, as well as ensuring the availability of medicines that are optimally tailored to patient needs.

An analysis of consumer opinions on waste medicine management utilizing fermatean fuzzy cognitive mapping

The management of post-consumer medicine waste has become increasingly important due to the high levels of consumer purchasing and stockpiling of drugs brought on by the pandemic. Environmental, social, and financial sustainability are directly influenced by the specifics of how pharmaceutical waste should be disposed of or recycled. Hence, this study provides a comprehensive approach that employs text mining with the inclusion of 894 participants for preliminary research to extract consumer-centric waste medicine awareness criteria, and proposes a Fermatean Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (F-FCM) approach to examine the relationships among the concepts to identify the most important ones, and compares F-FCM with the classical FCM to demonstrate the effectiveness of the improved approach. The findings of the example from Turkey reveal that waste medicine management applications prioritize (1) establishing a trusted system for collecting and recycling medicine, (2) ensuring the reliability of business models, and (3) increasing societal awareness. The F-FCM ranking differs slightly from the classical FCM ranking when uncertainty is introduced. The present study contributes to the literature by proposing a novel approach and utilizing text mining as a data-extracting tool. A practitioner can also understand the perspectives of real consumers, identify long-term plans, and comprehend the requirements of a service network with several stakeholders.

Prevalence and correlates of stocking up on drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic: Data from the C3PNO Consortium

BackgroundData from the COVID-19 pandemic describes increases in drug use and related harms, especially fatal overdose. However, evidence is needed to better understand the pathways from pandemic-related factors to substance use behaviours. Thus, we investigated stockpiling drugs among people who use drugs (PWUD) in five cities in the United States and Canada. MethodsWe used data from two waves of interviews among participants in nine prospective cohorts to estimate the prevalence and correlates of stockpiling drugs in the previous month. Longitudinal correlates were identified using bivariate and multivariate generalized linear mixed-effects modeling analyses. ResultsFrom May 2020 to February 2021, we recruited 1873 individuals who completed 2242 interviews, of whom 217 (11.6%) reported stockpiling drugs in the last month at baseline. In the multivariate model, stockpiling drugs was significantly and positively associated with reporting being greatly impacted by COVID-19 (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]= 1.21, 95% CI: 1.09–1.45), and at least daily use of methamphetamine (AOR = 4.67, 95% CI: 2.75–7.94) in the past month. ConclusionsWe observed that approximately one-in-ten participants reported stocking up on drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic. This behaviour was associated with important drug-related risk factors including high-intensity methamphetamine use. While these correlations need further inquiry, it is possible that addressing the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable PWUD could help limit drug stockpiling, which may lower rates of high-intensity stimulant use.

An Investigation of Extensively Drug - resistant Tuberculosis: Revealing Potential Improvements for Tuberculosis Control Program

On 31 May 2019, the Division of Epidemiology (DoE) was notified of a confirmed extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) case in Bangkok. The DoE and local teams conducted a joint investigation to describe the epidemiological characteristics of the case, identify possible source cases and contacts, and implement control measures. A descriptive study was performed among cases and close contacts by interviewing and reviewing the medical records using a standard case definition. An environmental study was performed at the case's house, workplaces, and tuberculosis (TB) clinic. The TB drugs were tested to analyze the content of active ingredients and dissolution. The case was a 36-year-old Thai male. In 2011, he was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis and had received inappropriate treatment. He developed multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) eight months later and XDR-TB in May 2019 with delayed hospital admission. Two possible source cases, both co-workers of the index case, were identified. Of 21 contacts, 13 were screened with a chest x-ray and found to have no abnormality. At the TB-clinic, drugs were stored in a room with inappropriate levels of temperature and humidity; however, the content of active ingredients and dissolution of TB drugs were within normal limits. Early hospital admission and monitoring of drug stockpile environments according to standard guidelines are recommended.

Estimation of optimal antiviral stockpile for a novel influenza pandemic

BackgroundA stockpile of antiviral drugs is important for mitigating a novel influenza pandemic. Recently, intervention strategies against such a pandemic have improved significantly, affecting the required size and composition of the stockpile. Our goal is to estimate the optimal ratio of conventional to newer antiviral drugs. MethodWe estimated epidemic parameters from daily-case data about H1N1pdm09 in the Republic of Korea, and used a deterministic ordinary differential equation model and stochastic simulation to predict the number of patients in a future pandemic. We considered an antiviral stockpile containing neuraminidase inhibitors (NAI) and a new drug, cap-dependent endonuclease inhibitor (CENI), seeking the optimum ratio of the two drugs under different epidemiological and economic assumptions. ResultsWith an effective reproductive number of 1.36, the expected cumulative cases did not exceed 30 % of the population in all vaccination scenarios. If the non-pharmaceutical intervention strategy is intensified and the effective reproductive number is decreased to 1.29, a 20 % antiviral stockpile of the population is sufficient. Assuming that CENI is prescribed for 10 % of patients, the expected total number of cases is decreased from 30 % to approximately 25 % of the population. If the cost of CENI is triple that of NAI, no expenditures beyond the current budget are necessary; if it is quintuple, expenditures increase by 17 %. ConclusionStockpiling CENI reduces the number of patients by reducing the infectious period. However, the government needs to consider the cost-effective stockpile ratio of such new drugs. This will depend not only on the cost of the drugs, but on factors difficult to anticipate, such as the transmissibility of the virus, the time needed for vaccine development, and (especially) the emergence of resistance. If this information can be estimated, our model can be used to obtain the optimum.

The global impact of COVID-19 on drug purchases: A cross-sectional time series analysis

BackgroundThe drug supply chain is global and at risk of disruption and subsequent drug shortages, especially during unanticipated events. ObjectiveOur objective was to determine the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on drug purchases overall, by class, and for specific countries. MethodsA cross-sectional time series analysis of country-level drug purchase data from August 2014 to August 2020 from IQVIA MIDAS was conducted. Standardized units per 100 population and percentage increase in units purchased were assessed from 68 countries and jurisdictions in March 2020 (when the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic). Analyses were compared by United Nations development status and drug class. Autoregressive integrated moving average models tested the significance of changes in purchasing trends. ResultsBefore COVID-19, standardized medication units per 100 population ranged from 3990 to 4760 monthly. In March 2020, there was a global 15% increase in units of drugs purchased to 5309.3 units per 100 population compared with the previous year; the increase was greater in developed countries (18.5%; P < 0.001) than in developing countries (12.8%; P < 0.0001). After the increase in March 2020, there was a correction in the global purchase rate decreasing by 4.7% (April to August 2020 rate, 21,334.6/100 population; P < 0.001). Globally, we observed high purchasing rates and large changes for respiratory medicines such as inhalers and systemic adrenergic drugs (March 2020 rate, 892.7/100 population; change from 2019, 28.5%; P < 0.001). Purchases for topical dermatologic products also increased substantially (42.2%), although at lower absolute rates (610.0/100 population in March 2020; P < 0.0001). Interestingly, purchases for systemic anti-infective agents (including antiviral drugs) increased in developing countries (11.3%; P < 0.001), but decreased in developed countries (1.0%; P = 0.06). ConclusionWe observed evidence of global drug stockpiling in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among developed countries. Actions toward equitable distribution of medicines through a resilient drug supply chain should be taken to increase global response to future unanticipated events, such as pandemics.

Household Drug Stockpiling and Panic Buying of Drugs During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study From Jordan.

The coronavirus disease that emerged in 2019 (COVID-19) has affected health, societies and economies. Policies that have been imposed by different countries to slow the spread of the disease, including national lockdowns, curfews, border closures and enforcement of social distancing measures have disturbed the drug supply chain and resulted in drug shortages. Uncertainty concerning the pandemic has also led to the panic buying of drugs and the stockpiling of drugs in households, which has amplified the problem. In this cross-sectional study, a self-developed questionnaire was distributed online in order to a) assess the practice of household drug stockpiling prior to the national lockdown in Jordan, b) investigate the factors affecting it and c) measure peoples’ knowledge about the consequences of this behaviour. Results from this study show that drug purchasing was reported by 44.3% of the participants and was most common among participants from non-medical backgrounds (336, 75.7%) or those who have chronic diseases (261, 58.8%) and taking chronic supplements (282, 63.5%) regardless of their age, gender, living area or the possession of health insurance. Analgesics and antipyretics were the most frequently purchased drugs (225, 70.5%) and anticipation of their need was the most common reason for purchasing drugs (231, 52.0%). Buyers were also less aware, when compared to non-buyers, that panic buying and drug stockpiling may lead to drug shortages (204, 45.9% vs 325, 58.1%) and that this behaviour can pose a health hazard, especially to children (221, 47.5% vs 342, 61.2%). Our study shows that panic buying of drugs and household drug stockpiling were common in Jordan during the COVID-19 pandemic and this was related to participants’ medical knowledge and educational backgrounds. Therefore, educating the general population regarding rational drug use is urgently needed. This is also a compelling case for the development of national guidelines for drug management that target the general population and healthcare personnel, especially pharmacists, to avoid drug shortages during crises.

Choppy waters: The importance of accounting for shifting drug utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic in future observational drug-related studies.

The 2019 novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic caused a large shift in the delivery of healthcare globally, including prescription drugs. Media reports of drug stockpiling, anecdotal reports of an uptick in commonly used medications and off-label use of medications to treat COVID-19, have led to rapidly changing drug utilization trends.1 We have observed shifting drug utilization trends in a number of our ongoing projects globally. These shifting drug utilization trends should be of consideration for anyone conducting future observational drug-related studies - we write this Reflective Piece, Hot Topic as a word of caution to our colleagues.

Consideration of problems with the drug stockpiling for disasters based on the care workers survey

Consideration of problems with the drug stockpiling for disasters based on the care workers survey

Perspectives on COVID-19 from Singapore: Impact on ESKD Care and Medical Education.

Perspectives on COVID-19 from Singapore: Impact on ESKD Care and Medical Education.

Drug expiry debate: the myth and the reality.

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Survey and Analysis of Common Diseases about Seafarers on a Voyage

Objective: to investigate the incidence and characteristics of common diseases of seafarers during long voyage, and to put forward relevant treatment schemes for medical security. Methods: to investigate and analyze the incidence of various diseases during the voyage from December 2017 to February 2018 of the crew of a survey ship, to understand the incidence of various diseases during the voyage and analyze the possible causes, and to provide corresponding treatment plans for the incidence of each stage during the voyage, so as to provide scientific basis for the medical support of the survey ship at sea. Results: the survey was conducted on 300 crew members of a survey ship, including 292 men and 8 women, aged 18 to 60, with an average age of 39. The top five diseases in the survey crew during the voyage were upper respiratory tract infection (35.33%), skin disease (22.33%), oral ulcer (14.67%), training injury (14.33%) and gastrointestinal diseases (13.67%). The incidence of upper sensations, skin diseases, oral ulcers and gastrointestinal diseases in the under 30s group was significantly higher than that in the other two age groups (p<0.05), while the incidence of training injuries was mainly concentrated in the 31 - 40s group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: during the voyage, diseases such as upper respiratory tract infections, skin diseases, oral ulcers, training injuries and gastrointestinal tract diseases are more common. Drug stockpiling, prevention and health education of related diseases before voyage should be done well, so as to reduce the incidence of common diseases of seafarers.

Investigation of psychotropic medication recipients consciousness for drug stockpiles in disasters

Investigation of psychotropic medication recipients consciousness for drug stockpiles in disasters

Government will 'review its position' on no-deal Brexit drug stockpiles

Government will 'review its position' on no-deal Brexit drug stockpiles

Biowarfare: Where do we stand?

Use of biological weapons has dated since times immemorial and the fear of such weapons in sync with the ever growing technology looms large on every part of the world. Biological warfare dates long back, when Hannibal first used the ‘serpents’ in earthen pots to be hurled against the enemy to sophisticated Biowarfare weapons such as Bacillus anthracis and Pseudomonas pseudomallei. To prohibit the use of such biological weapons, international treaties were prepared in 1925 and 1972; but to no avail. Many nations have stocked biological warfare agents, and there is possibility that terrorists may acquire the expertise to use these destructive agents. Advantages of Biowarfare agents are that they are produced rapidly, are cost-effective, can disseminate and affect a large area leading to high morbidity and mortality. With the upsurge in chances of biological warfare being used for defense or terrorism, there is a need for a robust surveillance system involving the health care sector along with integration of public health personnel, security, intelligence, diplomats and law enforcement agencies. Thus for the world, the time has come to establish a mindset to wage a war against this Biowarfare, try to discover newer antibiotics and personal protective equipment, acquire ‘state-of-the-art’ detectors and focus on the available intelligence. Awareness among the public, clinicians and public health experts, stock piling of drugs and vaccines, allocation of funds and Biowarfare preparedness is the need of the day.

Drug stockpiling builds as Brexit approaches

Negotiations between the U.K. and the European Union to adopt an open trade agreement ahead of Britain’s March 2019 exit—or Brexit—from the EU are going so badly that some pharmaceutical companies are stepping up their stockpiling of drugs in case trade is suspended. Medicines in the EU are regulated—and licensed for use—by the European Medicines Agency. EMA has told the U.K. that its testing procedures may not be recognized and that it may be excluded from the automatic licensing of medicines for use in the EU. As a result, come March 2019, sales of medicines between the two parties could be temporarily halted. The volume of pharmaceuticals traded between the EU and the U.K. is substantial. About 45 million packs of medicine are exported from the U.K. to Europe monthly; 35 million packs go the other way. Some 108 drugs are manufactured only in the U.K. AstraZeneca, Novartis, and Sanofi

Influenza Pandemics and the associated Bacterial Infections

Influenza virus is a highly contagious respiratory pathogen capable of causing a global spread of infection potentially leading to a pandemic situation. The genome of influenza virus can undergo genetic-reassortment also known as “genetic shift” resulting in generation of a novel strain, which can cause widespread outbreaks. The increasing rates of morbidity and mortality during influenza infections is primarily associated with secondary bacterial infections and co-morbid conditions like asthma, cardiac diseases etc. Hence, clinicians have included the antibiotics along with antivirals and vaccines in the treatment regime. As a measure for better preparedness for any future pandemics, priority should be given to infrastructure facilities for production and stockpiling of drugs and vaccines. The non-pharmaceutical interventions like isolating the patients, hand hygiene and improved sanitation and nutrition facilities will also play a vital role in preventing the spread of infection.