Increasingly, medicines around the world are in short supply. When this situation arises, the need to quickly find a suitable alternative is critical. This is a problem that is impacting patients, healthcare providers and hospitals around the world.

For example, according to the University of Utah Drug Information Service, there were 267 drug shortages in 2011 in the United States, up from 211 in 2010. By contrast there were 58 drug shortages in 2004. Shortages of prescription drugs have certainly gained increasing attention in recent years due to the scope and severity of the problem. According to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), the number of shortages has nearly tripled since 2006.

Similar drug shortages are being seen in other parts of the world including Canada, Europe, Australia, and parts of Asia and Africa.

Shortages can arise from any one of a number of problems including:

• Lack of adequate manufacturing capacity and industry consolidation leading to fewer firms making these products
• Product quality issues that result in a stoppage of production or discontinuations
• Lack of secure, consistent availability of raw material which can be exacerbated by reliance on the globalization of the supply chain for ingredients and manufacturing
• Shifts in demand that arise from shortages of another drug – causing a chain reaction of shortages

No one is better placed than Idis to find a solution. For over 25 years we have been efficiently and effectively solving problems with regard to accessing medicines. We are experts in overcoming the challenges of ensuring patients wherever they are in the world get access to the medicine they need. Through our networks and relationships, Idis is able to quickly identify and obtain alternatives on behalf of physicians and pharmacists so that patients do not suffer from a gap in their treatment.