AMA calls for a comprehensive strategy for the supply of medicines

AMA president Professor Stephen Robson welcomes new requirements for drug manufacturers to have up to six months’ supply, but says there needs to be more domestic manufacturing of medicine.

The AMA has called for a comprehensive medicine supply strategy, including domestic manufacturing, to help ensure supply of critical medicines in Australia. 

AMA president Professor Stephen Robson told Crikey he welcomed government moves to minimise the impact of shortages of pharmaceuticals, particularly during the pandemic. 

As of July next year drug manufacturers will be required to hold either four- or six-months’ supply of drugs in Australia for designated PBS medicines under the Medicines Supply Security Guarantee. 

Professor Robson said, “These are welcome changes. However, we need to do more, including developing a comprehensive strategy for medicines supply that supports domestic medicines manufacturing”. 

Crikey quoted a spokesperson for the Health Department saying that having a more resilient medicine supply chain was a government priority, but stressed that locally manufacturing “thousands” of medicines approved for use in Australia was not practical or economic. 

“Contrary to media reports, the number of medicine shortages reported each month has been largely stable since the Government implemented mandatory reporting of medicine shortages in January 2019,” the spokesperson said. 

“The TGA has no legal power to obligate companies to manage their stock to avoid shortfalls in supply…while the (Medicines Supply Security Guarantee) will not prevent shortages it will help to ensure that Australian sponsors of medicines are better placed to continue supply when supply disruptions occur.” 

The Crikey article claimed that Australia was in the “grip” of a “drug crisis” with 316 medicine shortage alerts listed by the TGA with 39 listed as critical.