MANUFACTURERS of generic medicines are working with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to tackle current supply chain issues impacting access to a range of treatments, the Generic Biosimilar Medicines Association (GBMA) says.
Responding to reports of medicines shortages impacting medications including antibiotic, amoxicillin, a spokesperson for the organisation told Pharmacy Daily that Australia was not alone in facing supply challenges.
"The pandemic has pulled the curtain back on how vulnerable Australia is to international disruption of the supply of vital medicines," the spokesperson said.
"Australia is not alone with medicine shortages however as an island nation, a small destination market and a net importer (90%) of medicines, we are particularly vulnerable.
"This has been exacerbated by nearly a decade of policy impacts that has driven down the price of many generic medicines to an unsustainable low-level.
"This is why we negotiated a five-year agreement with the Commonwealth, that is aimed at better protecting Australians against global supply chain disruptions.
"From Jul next year, members of the affordable medicines sector will be empowered to increase their respective stockpile buffers of medicines to four to six months.
"This includes vital medicines such as amoxicillin.
"This initiative is the cornerstone of the GBMA's Strategic Agreement.
"In the meantime, as mentioned above, our members will continue to collaborate with the TGA to resolve any shortages.
"As always, patients and their safety and wellbeing, remain our top priority."
Pharmacy Guild of Australia Victorian Branch President, Anthony Tassone, told Pharmacy Daily that the current supply shortages of amoxicillin were "frustrating for patients, pharmacists and prescribers", especially given the volume of prescriptions for the antibiotic (PD 03 Nov).
"We hope that with the strategic agreements that have been struck between the Federal Government and Medicines Australia and the GBMA with the obligation of increased on-shore stock holdings from Apr 2023 for a range of low cost but high volume PBS-listed medicines, that going forward such stock shortages will be less frequent and shorter in duration."
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