Countries have been increasingly experiencing shortages of medicines. In response, governments have been applying policy measures to manage, mitigate or ideally prevent medicine shortages.
Experts of the Pharmacoeconomics Department surveyed use of governmental measures to tackle medicine shortages in 38 countries that are members of the Pharmaceutical Pricing and Reimbursement Information (PPRI) network. As of 2023, a set of different measures was identifying, including notification of upcoming shortages to registers, stockpiling, export bans, regulatory measures, fines and financial incentives as well as multi-stakeholder coordination.
The study also analyses potential changes in the policy measures employed between 2020 and 2023.
Vogler S. Tackling medicine shortages during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Compilation of governmental policy measures and developments in 38 countries. Health Policy. 2024(143): 105030
Article can be accessed here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2024.105030