Technical consultation on notification systems for shortages and stockouts of medicines and vaccines

Overview

In May 2016, WHO Member States adopted Resolution WHA69.25 Addressing global shortages of medicines and vaccines . The resolution highlights the problems that occur when essential medicines and vaccines are not sufficiently available in national health systems. Shortages and stockouts affect public health systems of countries of all income levels. Shortages are reported on the supply side as well as the demand side of medicines markets. Supply shortages, or insufficient supply at manufacturing levels, have been increasing in recent years. Demand side shortages remain a persistent problem and disproportionately affect countries with limited capacity in their procurement and supply chain management systems. The impact is increasingly serious, including higher medicine costs and poorer patient outcomes. Shortages and stockouts can also put patients in danger from inappropriate medication substitution as well as heighten risks for the infiltration of substandard and falsified products into the supply chain.