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DRUGS | EMA Starts Pilot To Collect Information On Ongoing/Potential Shortages

Drug shortages continue to affect a variety of diseases across the world, reflecting rising demand and cost-effective manufacturing challenges.
To help address this issue, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is starting a pilot to collect information on ongoing or potential shortages, according to the following criteria:
- The shortage is or will potentially affect one or more EU member states
- The medicine in question is considered critical (e.g. a life-saving medicine that does not have a suitable alternative or when the switch to alternative treatment has a major clinical impact for patients and healthcare systems), and
- In the context of a public health emergency, any information that could indicate an upcoming shortage (such as changes in clinical practice and/or increases in demand)
Patients and healthcare professionals in Europe who may wish to report any shortages of drugs in their respective countries, are requested to fill in the below form and send it to the e-mail address shortages@ema.europa.eu
Shortages Reporting Form
Further information on ongoing medicine shortages in the EU is available in national shortages registers, or in EMA’s shortages catalogue.