Drug shortages are expected to worsen in 2024 as experts warn of ongoing supply problems for high-demand drugs and a growing number of pharmacies at risk of closure.
According to pharmacists, about 100 drugs are currently experiencing supply chain problems, including several ADHD drugs and the Ozempic shot.
ADHD drug shortages are expected to last until 2024, and Ozempic’s supply problems could extend even into 2025.
Debra Ainge, CEO of iEthico, which helps pharmacists find scarce drugs so they can get them to patients in need, said I: “There is a general problem with stockouts where suppliers are overly optimistic about when items will be back in stock and available.
“If you look at what’s happening in the US, where there’s been a big shortage of ADHD medications, there’s no sign yet that things are going to calm down in terms of ADHD medications, so I definitely expect that to continue beyond December.”
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the problems should be resolved between October and December 2023.
Phil Parsons, 47, site manager from Southend-on-Sea, Essex, said: I For the past month, he has struggled to get needed ADHD medication for his 15-year-old daughter and wife, as well as other medications for himself.
ADHD drugs Xenidate XL and Xaggitin XL were included in a patient shortage alert issued by the DHSC and NHS England in September.
This attributed the supply problems to a combination of production problems and increased global demand.
Mr Parsons said: “My wife’s health is vital to her ability to function every day. And because she’s getting her diploma.
“She will be taking a break from taking her medication for Christmas while she is away from college, so she will have enough medication in case she has trouble getting it in the new year.”
He also had difficulty getting mometasone nasal spray, which he needed after nose surgery to help him sleep better and prevent sinus infections.
After learning the family pharmacy was out of medication, Mr. Parsons said he visited five pharmacies and called two more to track them down.
But his wife, who suffers from leukemia and a cold, was forced to make another trip to her local pharmacy to find out which brand she should order before going to her GP for a prescription for a generic alternative.
Mr Parsons said: “We are both concerned that we will have this problem in the new year.”
“I asked for extra visitors over the Christmas period and luckily the doctor’s office did it. It really irritates us that we have to spend hours trying to get the medications we need to live a normal life.”
Ozempic is prescribed to patients with type 2 diabetes and is increasingly being prescribed “off-label” (outside its approved licensure) to patients struggling with weight loss.
Its popularity as an appetite suppressant, including its use by celebrities, and a rise in off-label prescriptions have contributed to a global shortage, with demand outstripping supply and diabetics in the UK struggling to get the drugs they need.
The growing demand has also led to the unregulated promotion and sale of Ozempic vaccines and counterfeit Ozempic vaccines on social media.
“I think demand will continue to outstrip supply for quite some time,” Ms. Ainge warned.
“I’ve worked in supply chain my entire career, and for years we had shortages. We’ve really noticed how much worse it’s gotten over the last decade, so this isn’t a new problem and it’s only getting worse.”
Ms Ainge fears the Ozempic shortage could lead to a growing black market and warns that buyers risk injecting themselves with dangerous doses of insulin and other substances sold under the brand name.
She said: “Some of the things that happen because of drug shortages, especially when patients start looking for drugs online, are really dangerous. “You really shouldn’t buy drugs from anyone who isn’t licensed by a regulatory body like the MHRA.
“For drug traffickers, selling pharmaceuticals is big business.”
“We need to pay attention to this.”
iEthico, which is regulated by the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency), monitors stock levels and requirements and reports supply issues to the regulator.
Independent pharmacies have warned they are struggling to get medicines for their patients and that some are at risk of closing due to the problems.
Fin McCall, from trade body Community Pharmacy England, said pharmacists were having to spend time and resources sourcing drugs that were in high demand rather than doing the work they were directly paid for, meaning many would end up paying out of your pocket.
“All of my expenses have increased by at least 50 percent over the past five years, and now I’m expecting another big increase on April 1,” McCall said.
“I don’t have the resources anymore. For example, to a member of my team who spends half a day every day of the week buying medications, it is easier for me to say: “Give the prescription back to the patient and tell him we can’t fill it, try it.” somewhere else.”
“To me, there is nothing that says that the supply of medicines will become easier. And if there is no cushion (by which I mean investing in the supply chain and delivery network), the situation is likely to get worse.
“If people cannot survive as entrepreneurs and this trend continues, we will have less than 10,000 pharmacies in the future. I don’t see anything in the forecast at this time that would weaken or stop this trend.”
Mark Samuels, chief executive of the British Generic Medicines Association (BGMA), which represents the industry that supplies four of the five drugs used by the NHS, suggested the problem had reached unprecedented proportions and was putting pressure on NHS resources.
“It’s certainly very frustrating when you don’t get the medication you need,” Mr. Samuels said. “We are facing record drug shortages this year. For the first time in a month, we have an acute shortage of more than 100 drugs.
“We also know from practice, from our pharmacy colleagues, that they have serious problems. I’ve heard hospital pharmacists say that they spend a third of their week dealing with drug shortages for patients.
“For the sake of the health of the nation, the interests of patients, better management of NHS resources and the economy: these are all important reasons we need to look at.”
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.