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Alruthia YS, Alwhaibi M, Alotaibi MF, et al. Drug shortages in Saudi Arabia: Root causes and recommendations. Saudi Pharm J. 2018;26(7):947-951doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2018.05.002.
Alruthia, Y. S., Alwhaibi, M., Alotaibi, M. F., Asiri, S. A., Alghamdi, B. M., Almuaythir, G. S., Alsharif, W. R., Alrasheed, H. H., Alswayeh, Y. A., Alotaibi, A. J., Almeshal, M., Aldekhail, S. N., Alhusaini, A., Alrashed, S. A., Alrumaih, A. M., Dahhas, M. A., Alghamdi, M. A., Aleheidib, M. S., Alhaidari, M. H., Alharbi, J. A., & Alshamsan, A. (2018). Drug shortages in Saudi Arabia: Root causes and recommendations. Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society, 26(7), 947-951. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsps.2018.05.002
Alruthia, Yazed S, et al. "Drug shortages in Saudi Arabia: Root causes and recommendations." Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society vol. 26,7 (2018): 947-951. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsps.2018.05.002
Alruthia YS, Alwhaibi M, Alotaibi MF, Asiri SA, Alghamdi BM, Almuaythir GS, Alsharif WR, Alrasheed HH, Alswayeh YA, Alotaibi AJ, Almeshal M, Aldekhail SN, Alhusaini A, Alrashed SA, Alrumaih AM, Dahhas MA, Alghamdi MA, Aleheidib MS, Alhaidari MH, Alharbi JA, Alshamsan A. Drug shortages in Saudi Arabia: Root causes and recommendations. Saudi Pharm J. 2018 Nov;26(7):947-951. doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2018.05.002. Epub 2018 May 12. PMID: 30416350; PMCID: PMC6218331.
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Saudi Pharm J. 2018 Nov;26(7):947-951. doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2018.05.002. Epub 2018 May 12.

Drug shortages in Saudi Arabia: Root causes and recommendations.

Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society

Yazed S Alruthia, Monira Alwhaibi, Mashal F Alotaibi, Shatha A Asiri, Bushra M Alghamdi, Ghadah S Almuaythir, Wejdan R Alsharif, Hala H Alrasheed, Yahya A Alswayeh, Abdulaziz J Alotaibi, Mohammad Almeshal, Saleh N Aldekhail, Abdulrahman Alhusaini, Sulaiman A Alrashed, Ali M Alrumaih, Mohammed A Dahhas, Mohammed A Alghamdi, Mohammad S Aleheidib, Mohamed H Alhaidari, Jameel A Alharbi, Aws Alshamsan

Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  2. Pharmacoeconomics Research Unit, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  3. Pharmacy Education Unit, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  4. General Administration of Pharmaceutical Care, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  5. Department of Medical Supply, General Directorate of Medical Services, Ministry of Interior, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  6. Former Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  7. Pharmaceutical Care Services, King Abdulaziz Medical City, National Guard-Health Affairs, Ministry of National Guard, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  8. Department of Pharmacy Practice, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  9. Department of Supply Chain Management, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  10. Department of Medical Supply, Medical Services for Armed Forces, Ministry of Defense, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  11. Department of Pharmaceutical Care, Medical Services for Armed Forces, Ministry of Defense, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  12. Department of Inspection and Law Enforcement, Saudi Food and Drug Authority, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  13. Department of Contracts and Purchasing, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Ministry of Defense, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  14. National Antivenom and Vaccines Production Center, Ministry of National Guard, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  15. Former Head of Drug Central Registration Department and Executive Board, Health Ministers' Council for Cooperation Council States, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  16. Department of Pricing and Pharmacoeconomics, Saudi Food and Drug Authority, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  17. Nanomedicine Research Unit, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
  18. Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

PMID: 30416350 PMCID: PMC6218331 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2018.05.002

Abstract

Drug shortages are a multifaceted problem that has been recurring in Saudi Arabia over the past decade with its significant negative impact on patient care. However, there is a dearth of evidence about possible domestic reasons, if any, behind this recurring problem. Recently, the Pharmacy Education Unit at King Saud University College of Pharmacy has called for a meeting with multiple stakeholders from academia, pharmaceutical care, pharmaceutical industry, purchasing and planning, and regulatory bodies to unveil the root domestic causes of the drug shortages in the Kingdom. Four major topics were used to guide the discussion in this meeting, including: current situation of drug shortages in Saudi Arabia, major factors contributing to drug shortages, challenges and obstacles to improve drug supply, and stakeholders' recommendations to manage drug shortages. The meeting was audio-recorded and transcribed into verbatim by five authors. The text was then reviewed and analyzed to identify different themes by the first and third authors. Multiple causes were identified and several recommendations were proposed. The main domestic causes of drug shortages that were explored in this study included poor medication supply chain management, lack of government regulation that mandates early notification of drug shortages, a government procurement policy that does not keep pace with the changes in the pharmaceutical market, low profit margins of some essential drugs, weak and ineffective law-violation penalties against pharmaceutical companies and licensed drug importers and distributors, and overdependence on drug imports. The participants have also proposed multiple recommendations to address drug shortages. Policy makers should consider these factors that contribute to drug shortages in Saudi Arabia as well as the recommendations when designing future initiatives and interventions to prevent drug shortages.

Keywords: Drugs; Patient safety; Shortage

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