EDX/20/1154
Date of prep: December 2020
Prescribing information and
adverse events reporting
For healthcare professionals only
EDX/20/1154
Date of prep: December 2020
Prescribing information and
adverse events reporting
For healthcare professionals only
Pharmacists should be given greater authority to solve medicines shortages when they occur and governments should, as soon as possible, instruct medicines regulatory authorities to investigate and develop proposals giving such extended powers to pharmacists. This is one of a number of recommendations in a new Statement of Policy on Medicines Shortages published today by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP).
Other recommendations in the policy statement include:
“The causes of shortages are several, multidimensional and sometimes unpredictable. In the context of a complex global supply chain and a globalised market, there is a growing concern among all stakeholders — including patients, healthcare professionals, governmental organisations, pharmaceutical wholesalers and the pharmaceutical industry — about the future of medicines supplies worldwide,” said Mr Lars-Åke Söderlund, chair of FIP’s Medicines Shortages Policy Committee and president of FIP’s Community Pharmacy Section.
“There is evidence that shortages are worsening with time, creating ever more difficulties for healthcare professionals, and compromising patient safety. Shortages have been reported in countries of all income levels, occurring across all healthcare settings and involving essential life-saving medicines, very commonly used medicines and both high- and low-price medicines. In this policy statement, FIP and its member organisations make four commitments, including to develop evidence-based guidelines and competency development programmes targeting pharmacists’ roles in mitigating the impact of medicines shortages.”
You can read the full policy here.
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