This appeared earlier today
Prescription medication delays continue across the country
6 April, 2025
In short:
· Supply shortages are leaving Australians who use prescription medication without essential treatment.
· Albany mother Shannon Roberts is fearful for her kids' mental health.
What's next?
The TGA says the supply shortage of key ADHD medication Concerta is likely to continue through to December.
When Albany mother Shannon Roberts dropped off her children's scripts to her regular pharmacy, she was surprised to be told they were out of stock.
Accessing prescriptions is becoming an issue for many Australians, due to ongoing supply shortages of multiple medications.
Ms Roberts's three children have ADHD and all require medication.
The shortage has been time-consuming and frustrating for everyone in the family.
"I put in all of our scripts to be filled five days before they were due [in January] and they couldn't be filled," Ms Roberts said.
"Since then it's been really awful."
The issue has been exacerbated by the fact that her children have experienced side effects from other ADHD medications which makes finding an alternative difficult.
"My eldest is now on her third medication change, my second eldest is waiting to be seen at a clinic in April," she said.
"My kids had horrendous side effects from Ritalin. The eldest lasted one week because we were so worried about her mental health."
Drugs in short supply
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has 400 medications listed as in short supply, including menopause hormone treatments and blood pressure medication.
Another of the drugs in short supply is Concerta, one of the most popular ADHD drugs.
18mg, 27mg, 34mg and 54mg dosages are all listed as limited in supply.
Albany pharmacist Jane McLean said supplies had ebbed and flowed in recent years.
"Last year Vyvanse was in short supply most of the year. This year Concerta is in short supply," she said.
Ms McLean said in the "last few years we've seen more out of stocks than what we've seen in the previous 10 to 15 years".
Regulations surrounding ADHD medication mean scripts can only be filled five days in advance of your last supply running out to prevent stockpiling.
ADHD WA clinical advisory board chair Roger Paterson said it could take months to find the right medication and prescription for a child, adding to the stress for families.
"The bottom line seemed to be that demand was gradually outstripping supply … there is a shortage of supply around the world," he said.
"We are just experiencing it in our own way within the field of ADHD."
Australia at end of supply chain
The TGA said the Concerta supply shortage was likely to continue through to December this year.
Pharmacy Guild of Australia WA president Andrew Ngeow said the country was at "the end of a very long and complex worldwide supply chain".
Mr Ngeow said Australia imported 90 per cent of the medication it prescribed and created 2 per cent of the world's demand.
"When there is a shortage we are the first to feel it and the last to get replenished," he said.
Here is the link:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-06/medication-shortage-continues-adhd-menopause/105133500
It is amazing that there are apparently 400 different medications in short supply. It seems the problem is a good deal worse than most of us realized!
We really do need to develop our sovereign drug-manufacturing capacity with some sense of urgency!
This seems to me to be a little political bombshell just waiting to explode…..
David.
No comments:
Post a Comment