Our response to BGMA report on medicines supply issues

The BMJ

The British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA) released a report based on their latest monthly dashboard highlighting a record number of products facing supply issues.

According to BGMA, 111 products are now facing supply issues making this the highest on record and more than double since the start of 2022.

We shared the following response with The BMJ.

Our Chief Executive Janet Morrison said:

“Medicine shortages and market instability remain severe and appear to be as bad as they have ever been.  BGMA’s findings align with our own, highlighting the increasing impact this is having on pharmacies and patients. For example, this year 92% of pharmacy teams reported daily supply issues in our pressures survey. Consistently, our polling of pharmacy owners has also shown that medicine supply problems rank among the most significant pressures affecting pharmacies.

“Despite relentless efforts to secure vital medicines for their patients, pharmacy teams are powerless to solve wider supply chain problems. The medicines supply issues are straining community pharmacies financially and often causing patient care delays. The Government and NHS need to strategically review the medicine supply situation and grant more powers to pharmacists to manage patients’ medicines more effectively during shortages.

“We would like to thank general practice colleagues for their understanding and help where pharmacies are simply unable to source certain medicines for supply reasons which are outside of their control.”

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Coverage 

Record number of drugs hit by supply problems, trade body warns | The BMJ