Pharmacy Daily | Supply shortages hit kids’ medicines

PRICE disclosure is fuelling supply shortages of high-volume low-cost medicines, including formulations of paediatric antibiotics.

Pharmacy Guild of Australia Victorian Branch President, Anthony Tassone, told Pharmacy Daily, that there was "no improvement in sight" to the ongoing supply shortages that have plagued the sector.

"Despite legislation being introduced earlier this year to mandate manufacturers having to notify when there is a shortage of one of their products to help manage the supply chain - there are still ongoing cases of shortages especially for high volume low cost medicines," he said.

"There are also cases where there are clearly shortages for some medicines, such as a current example of paediatric formulations of amoxycilin suspension - where various brands aren't available from the wholesalers but isn't listed as a shortage on the Therapeutic Goods Administration website."

Tassone said pharmacists were being forced to hunt for Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medications for patients.

"Pharmacists don't have time to hunt and forage for medicines for their patients in what is meant to be a world class system in Australia," he said.

"If PBS price disclosure and price reductions are impacting on the viability for manufacturers to continue to supply the Australian market with low cost high volume medicines - then manufacturers need to come clean and advocate for change.

"Manufacturers have the option to apply for a higher list price in the PBS for their product if needed.

"Australians deserve better than to be at the mercy of international price variances of what manufacturers may be able to get for their product depending which country they export their stock to.

"Continuity of the medicines supply chain is likely to form some part of the Seventh Community Pharmacy Agreement negotiations with the Federal Government as we are running the high risk of patient care being compromised."