An audit of drug shortages in a community pharmacy practice

Abstract

This study highlights the drug shortage problem in an Irish community pharmacy. We propose that enhanced communication between all stakeholders is the most worthwhile solution. Further studies are needed.

A Qualitative Approach to a Better Understanding of the Problems Underlying Drug Shortages, as Viewed from Belgian, French and the European Union’s Perspectives

“…Drug shortages are a complex phenomenon of global impact [ 5 ]. Within Europe, drug shortages have been investigated so far only within a limited scope [ 1 , 31 – 33 ].…”

Toward a European definition for a drug shortage: a qualitative study

“…This study provides an overview of 26 unique definitions for drug shortages as provided by two legislations, five governmental organizations, seven professional organizations, four from scientific articles, seven national reporting databases and one European reporting database (see Tables 1 and 2 ; Wet Betreffende de Verplichte Verzekering Voor Geneeskundige Verzorging En Uitkeringen Gecoördineerd Op 14 Juli, 1994 ; Fox et al, 2009 ; Food and Drug Administration, 2011b ; Dragic, 2012 ; Executive Agency for Health and Consumers, 2012 ; Instituut voor Verantwoord Medicijngebruik, 2012 ; Charnay-Sonnek et al, 2013 ; European Medicines Agency, 2013 ; European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, 2013 ; Fédération Internationale Pharmaceutique, 2013 ; ANSM, 2014 ; Costelloe et al, 2014 ; Federaal Agentschap voor Geneesmiddelen en Gezondheidsproducten, 2014 ; Government of Canada - Health Canada, 2014 ; Heiskanen et al, 2014 ; ISPE, 2014 ; The Italien Medicines Agency, 2014 ; Agencia Española de Medicamentos Y Productos Sanitarios - AEMPS, 2015 ; Australian Government - Department of Health - Therapeutic Goods Administration [TGA], 2015 ; BfArM - Lieferengpässe, 2015 ; Canadian Drug Shortage Database, 2015 ; Décret N° 2012-1096 Du 28 Septembre 2012 Relatif À L’approvisionnement En Médicaments À Usage Humain, 2015 ; Pauwels et al, 2015 ). A summary of the different elements in definitions is presented, accompanied by the conditions which are currently used to report drug shortages.…”

“…These studies investigated the scope, the causes and impact of drug shortages in the US. In recent years, more research concerning drug shortages in Europe has been published, trying to gage the scope and causes of drug shortages ( Costelloe et al, 2014 ; Heiskanen et al, 2014 ; Pauwels et al, 2014 , 2015 ). However, the results of these studies are hard to compare as different definitions of drug shortages have been used.…”

Desabastecimento de medicamentos na literatura científica da saúde: uma revisão narrativa

“…Das 40 publicações que focaram na descrição do desabastecimento, metade foi composta de comunicações, editoriais, artigos de opinião, entre outras, que, em geral, clamam por ações para sua solução, comunicam o desabastecimento ou propõem alternativas terapêuticas para substituição ao item desabastecido (ALSPACH, 2012b;BUTLER, 2013;CARTER, 2011;CDC, 2013;DAL MORO, 2013;ELZAWAWY;KERR, 2013;FDA, 1993;FOX;TYLER, 2013;GOMELLA, 2012;KAPOSY, 2014;MAYER, 2012;MIRTALLO, 2011;MORRISON, 1995;NAVARRO et al, 2012;PRINTZ, 2012;TOMLIN, 2016;TRAYNOR, 2011;TURNER et al, 2013;WENZEL, 2015). As demais ressaltam a gravidade do problema, demonstrando que o mesmo é crescente ao longo dos últimos anos e já faz parte do cotidiano dos profissionais de saúde, e relatam casos em unidades de saúde e seus impactos na saúde dos pacientes (ALSPACH, 2012a;BAUTERS et al, 2015;CHOMBA et al, 2010;COSTELLOE et al, 2015;GHOLAMI et al, 2012;GUNDLAPALLI et al, 2013;HAWLEY et al, 2016;HVISDAS et al, 2013;KAFANTARIS, 2012;KANGWANA et al, 2009;KWEDER;DILL, 2013;MAZER-AMIRSHAHI et al, 2014;McKEEVER;BLOCH;BRATIC, 2013;MULLINS;…”