Our medicines help restore possibility for millions of people living with serious diseases worldwide.
Producing these medicines involves strict safety and quality standards within complex global supply chains. Unfortunately, there are times when the supply of medicines falls short of meeting the demand.
Although the overall proportion of medicines that are in short supply at any given time is relatively low, we understand the significant impact this can have on patients and their families. Shortages are a risk inherent to complex, global, and highly regulated supply chains, such as those in the pharmaceutical industry. That is why we have an emergency protocol in place at Novartis, ensuring that the entire team is prepared and ready to take immediate action whenever a supply shortage occurs.
Understanding medicine shortages
There are various reasons why medicine shortages can happen, including manufacturing issues, difficulties in accessing raw materials, bottlenecks in distribution or transport networks, regulatory intervention, or batch failures where products fail to meet the expected standards of quality control in medicine manufacturing.
When shortages occur, a multidisciplinary team at Novartis is mobilised to promptly address and resolve the issue.
- We are required to notify the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), who collaborate with various stakeholders to quickly address and resolve these shortages using established procedures.
- We actively engage with Patient Advocacy Groups to ensure that patients receive timely and accurate information to prepare for any potential impact caused by the shortages.
- Our Customer Care team works tirelessly, liaising with our wholesalers, to identify temporary solutions and alternative options.
- Our Medical Information team is available to respond to patient and healthcare professionals’ enquiries about specific medicines, although they are unable to provide medical advice directly to patients.
- Simultaneously, our Demand & Supply and Quality teams are working around the clock to replenish our medicine stocks and to ensure that patients have access to the treatments they need.
Although shortages in individual products are inevitable in complex supply chains, there are established processes set by DHSC and the NHS for reporting and responding to shortages of medicines and medical products, including the Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs).
For more information on how the supply chain works, please see here: Managing medicine shortages infographic (abpi.org.uk)
We encourage any patient affected by shortages to speak with their doctor or pharmacist regarding their treatment.