Abstract

Author(s): Zhenyan Bo*, Yong Tang, Hailong Li, Kun Zou, Sha Diao, Lu Han, Yuqing Shi, Linan Zeng, Liang Hunag, Shaoyang Zhao, Yongmu Jinag and Lingli Zhang
Department of Pharmacy, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Children's Medicine Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, 1NMPA Key Laboratory for Technical Research on Drug Products In Vitro and In Vivo Correlation, 2 Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, 3School of Economics, Sichuan University, 4Chinese Evidence-Based Medicine Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610000, China

Correspondence Address:
Zhenyan Bo, Chinese Evidence-Based Medicine Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610000, China, E-mail: bozhenyanyh@stu.scu.edu.cn

Drug shortages have posed clinical and economic challenges to healthcare systems globally. Multiple data-based evidence on drug shortages in China is limited. This study aimed to depict drug shortage and cause of shortage in Southwest China and it was a cross-sectional study. Data was extracted from the multi-source drug shortage reporting system of Sichuan Province from 1^st January, 2018 to 30^th May 2021. The policy characteristics, dosage forms, shortage frequency, anatomical therapeutic chemical classification and cause for the drug shortage was analysed. There were 2184 reported drug shortages involving 870 drugs. Among the drugs, 631 (72.53 %) were chemical drugs. Injections had the highest average shortage frequency of 4.35, while 59.54 % (518/870) of the drugs in shortage was oral. All anatomical therapeutic chemical classification of drugs had been reported in shortage. The number of drugs for alimentary tract and metabolism was up to 117. As for policy characteristics, 44.48 % (387/870) and 79.54 % (692/870) fell into the national essential medicines list and national medical insurance drug list respectively. The incidence of drug shortage on the emergency drug list and national essential medicines list was significantly higher than that of the paediatric generic drug list and national medical insurance drug list (p<0.05). Manufacturing problems was the main causes of drug shortage (46.10 %, 891/1998). A plethora of drugs experienced a shortage in Southwest China, encompassing nearly the entirety of the anatomical therapeutic chemical classification system. Drug shortage affected the entire drug supply chain, including production, delivery and utilization. To address this issue, it was imperative to foster enhanced collaboration among all stakeholders to mitigate and resolve the drug shortage problem.

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