Medicine shortages
Find out how to how to check for medicine shortages, and what to do if your product is affected.
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Shortages and supply disruptions occur when there is not enough of a medicine available in Australia to meet patient needs.
These disruptions can be caused by manufacturing delays, supply chain issues, regulatory barriers, trade limitations, or unexpected spikes in demand.
You can go directly to our Medicine shortage reports database if you want to search for information about a specific medicine shortage:
Medicine shortage reports database
You can also search our medicine shortage alerts and find information on major or ongoing medicine shortages below.
For information about shortages and supply disruptions affecting medical devices, go to Medical device supply disruptions.
What you need to know about medicine shortages
Suppliers must report shortages of prescription medicines and some over-the-counter medicines to us.
Each shortage listed on our medicine shortages reports page refers to a single product, though alternative brands, strengths or dose forms are often available.
We work with sponsors to understand the cause of shortages and may approve overseas alternatives or adjust regulatory requirements to support access.
What you need to know about a shortage depends on whether you are taking or using, dispensing, prescribing or supplying the medicine.
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Medicine shortages: information for consumers
Understand medicine shortages and what to do if your medicine is affected. -
Medicine shortages: information for health professionals
General medicine shortage information and what to do if your patient’s medicine is in shortage. -
Medicine shortages: information for sponsors
You need to notify us if your reportable medicine is in shortage or is being discontinued.
Watch a video about how we manage medicine shortages
Our approach to managing shortages
We are continuously working to improve the way we manage and communicate about medicine shortages.
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Improvements to managing medicine shortages and discontinuations
We are improving the way we monitor, manage impacts and communicate about medicine shortages and discontinuations in Australia. -
Data sharing to help manage serious shortages of hospital medicines
Find out how forecasting medicine availability allows us to develop effective strategies for serious shortages of medicines in a hospital setting.