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20 January 2012
Pharmacy Voice is calling for an end to blunt medicines quotas, which result in pharmacists having to seek emergency supplies and keep patients waiting for their medicines.
In its response to the All-Party Parliamentary Pharmacy Group’s inquiry into branded medicines shortages in the UK, Pharmacy Voice also says there should be a more concrete obligation to get medicines to pharmacies within 24 hours of an order.
Rob Darracott, Chief Executive of Pharmacy Voice, said, “The problems are now longstanding, and are damaging to relationships in the supply chain, as well as working against the interests of patients.
“There are several factors feeding the problem. Yet the fundamentals of a solution are obvious: enough medicines need to go into the UK system, medicines distribution needs to be flexible enough to match patient need at pharmacy level, and all parties must observe law and ethics. The Pharmacy Voice proposals to the parliamentary group address all of these fundamentals.
“The Department of Health, manufacturers and pharmacists signed up last year to the principle that pharmacies should receive medicines within 24 hours of ordering them. This needs to be treated as a firm and enforceable commitment, not just a nice-to-do. Meanwhile, some quotas are being applied bluntly. Instead of mitigating supply problems, adding bureaucracy for all parties, creating inefficiencies for everyone in the chain, and delaying patients from getting the medicines they need.”
Pharmacy Voice is actively engaged in seeking a solution to the problem and encourages all parties to act within the established legal and ethical frameworks, with eyes fixed firmly on the needs of patients.