Mandatory reporting of medicine shortages† from 1 January this year has seen new notifications to the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) increase by over 400% (n=1,455 for 2018-19) compared to the previous period (n=274).  Currently, over 10% of the drugs on the TGA ‘list’ are classified as critical with the potential to have a life-threatening or serious impact on patients. 

The FDA Drug Shortages Task Force Report, released today, compared drugs that went into shortage from 2013 to 2017 to similar drugs that did not go into shortage. Drugs in shortage were more likely to be relatively low-price, in particular genericised sterile injectables, including anaesthetics, chemotherapy and pain treatments. Australian hospital (2017) and European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) 2018 Medicines Shortages surveys reported similar groups of drugs most often impacted (Figure 2 from the report shown).

Shortages can and do have a significant impact on patient care, especially when there is little or no notice. Required reporting provides authorities, health care professionals and patients time to prepare. Unfortunately, this measure, like those taken elsewhere in the world will not reduce the problem because:

(1) Commodity pricing policies

Treating drugs as commodities exposes them to the rigours of supply and demand.

Although demand is increasing globally, due to ageing populations and availability of more effective medicines, the FDA Task Force found ‘prices rarely rose after shortages began, and during shortages, production typically did not increase enough to restore supply to pre-shortage levels.’ This points to a ‘broken marketplace‘, where scarcity does not result in the price increases predicted by basic economic principles.

As the graph shows the relationship between introduction of a preference policy in the Netherlands, where only the cheapest medicine for a specific disorder is reimbursed, has resulted in a greater proportion of these medicines being in shortage.

Companies seeking to enter the generic marketplace may not have the manufacturing history and quality safeguards in place to ensure sustainable supply. This is despite providing guarantees to Governments who preference suppliers based on price.

The production and supply of pharmaceuticals is regulated by Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), as prices decrease, companies may consolidate manufacturing facilities to maintain profitability. Hence, those medicines with the most competition will be the most vulnerable to shortages.

(2) Expansion of reference pricing

As more Governments, including the US (see Pelosi Lower Drug Costs Act 2019) introduce reference pricing into their drug procurement policy mix, others are losing their appetite for the quid pro quo of access to new products at ‘hidden’ prices. The Dutch Health Minister has recently called to ignore the confidentiality of pricing agreements, while the Australian pharmaceutical industry was rocked last year by the presentation of a poster listing rebates by ATC code at an international conference. In addition, changes to supply chain rebate arrangements continue to be progressed by the Australian Government despite concerns around the impact on availability of new drugs.

There is a real possibility that companies will set a price for a product and that will be the price, irrespective of country. This will restore the marketplace but patients in countries that have come to expect, and demand, substantial discounts on new medicines will be left waiting for access.

(3) Solutions to date have been ineffective

The EAHP 2018 survey found that medicines shortages have become more troublesome since the last survey in 2014, with 91.8% respondents reporting shortages impacting patient care. The FDA Task force found that the number of ongoing drug shortages has been rising, and that their impact is likely underappreciated. Note: the FDA infographic shows shortages averted, the how likely includes requested intervention by other suppliers.

Manufacturing issues continue to be the most common reason for supply shortages. As reported in 47% of cases to the TGA in 2018-19; and 37%, plus 27% other quality issues, to FDA in 2012. Medicines are not commodities.

The FDA conclude that: ‘The root causes of shortages involve economic factors that are driven by both private- and public-sector decision-making.’

Private sector decisions serve business interests. While public sector decisions aim to benefit societal, and political, interests. The Task Force suggests quality ratings of manufacturing facilities and new contracting approaches with incentives as possible levers.

In the meantime, there will always be someone seizing the day, in this case, a plethora of global wholesalers!

Notes: † Defined as when supply of a medicine in Australia will not, or will not be likely to, meet the demand for that product in Australia any time within the next 6 months; *Reportable medicines are Registered Schedule 4 (Prescription Medicine) or Schedule 8 (Controlled Drug) products, and certain non-prescription medicines considered critical and listed in the relevant legislative instrument. Chain photo from Google Images