Addressing the global shortages of medicines, and the safety and accessibility of children’s medication

Overview

In  recent  years,  shortages  of  essential  medicines  have  been  documented  in  most  parts  of  the world  with  increasing  frequency.  The  common  denominator  for  these  shortages  is  that  medicines likely  to be in short  supply  are products  that  are mostly  old, off-patent  or  difficult  to formulate and that have  a  tightly-defined  shelf  life  and  few  or  a  sole  manufacturer.