November 26th 2024

By Ailsa Colquhoun

Rural prejudice highlighted in medicines shortage report

A new report makes recommendations to reduce medicines shortages, recognising the unique challenges of rural dispensing.

Medicines Shortages: solutions for empty shelves, published by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society acknowledges the disadvantage to rural patients caused by greater distances between dispensaries as well as transport problems. The report concludes: “This could exacerbate the inequalities that exist.”

Looking at the causes of medicines shortages, the report notes that cascade medicines purchasing systems – that can be configured to purchase only those medicines available at, or below, the listed Drug Tariff prices – may add delays in the context of medicines shortages. It is also suggested that cascade purchasing systems may have a wider impact on wholesalers’ ability to forecast demand and the accuracy of stockholding.  

Among the recommendations made by the report are the following:

• Improve reporting by manufacturers
• Enable pharmacists to amend prescriptions
• Educate the public