'Troubling milestone' as over 300 medicines now in short supply 

'Things look set to get worse before they get better,' says Azure Pharmaceuticals chief executive Sandra Gannon.

Over 300 medicines are currently in short supply in Ireland, with experts describing it as a “troubling milestone”.

It is the ninth consecutive month of rising shortages, with the increase of out-of-stock medicines now 81% higher than this time last year.

There are now severe shortages of low-dose aspirin, cholesterol and blood pressure medications, and nebulising solutions for asthma and COPD.

The number of medicines in short supply has increased by 95 since January alone, bringing the total now to a record high of 307, according to the latest Medicine Shortages Index.

The Medicine Shortage Index, prepared by Azure Pharmaceuticals, analyses data made publicly available by the Health Products Regulatory Authority.

Medicine shortages are also up 45% in just six months, while 36% of medicines that are out of stock were found to just have one supplier.

The latest shortages analysis shows a new “severe scarcity” of commonly used medicines to treat cholesterol and high blood pressure, including 17 statins currently out of stock.

Ireland 'yet to acknowledge' cause and effect of problem

Azure Pharmaceuticals chief executive Sandra Gannon said shortages look set to get worse before they get better due to Government inaction.

“We have now exceeded the milestone marker of 300, with 307 medicines out of stock," she said. 

"We started reporting this problem when the number of shortages stood at approximately 165. The trend is clear.

“Recent research illustrated the worsening impact of the issue, with 60% of the public impacted by shortages in the past year alone. 

"Those countries who have adjusted their approach in response to this supply crisis are faring better than those who have not. Regrettably, at a policy level, Ireland is yet to acknowledge the cause and effect of this problem. 

On that basis, things look set to get worse before they get better.”

On average, the UK and EU member governments are paying twice as much and, in some cases, four times more to manufacturers of older, mainstream medicines compared to the current Irish Government, according to Azure.

In January, Azure reported that the UK government and the majority of the 27 EU member state governments had taken specific measures in response to the escalating medicine shortage issue, including changes to medicine pricing rules.

“Changing legislation to give extra powers to pharmacists should form a key part of a package of solutions, but that alone will not resolve matters," said Ms Gannon.