Better early warning systems needed to reduce drug supply risks, says ABPI

Improved early warning systems are needed to reduce medicines supply risks, as pharmacy teams spend more than two hours a day searching for stock, a report finds.

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) report , ‘Building a resilient medicines supply chain together’  highlights the pressure supply issues have on the wider health system.

It shows that 26% of pharmacy teams report spending more than two hours a day trying to obtain stock or source alternative medicines.

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David Watson, finance director at the ABPI, said: ‘Every medicine supply issue matters. Even short-lived disruptions can be worrying for patients and place additional pressure on healthcare professionals. Ensuring people can access the medicines they need, when they need them, must be our shared priority.

‘ABPI member companies work closely with partners every day to anticipate risks, share information early and respond quickly when challenges arise… Thanks to this collective effort, the UK’s medicines supply system is more resilient than is often recognised. Most potential disruptions are identified early and resolved before patients are affected.

‘However, growing global pressures – including manufacturing concentration, geopolitical instability and sudden demand surges – mean disruptions are becoming more likely. Without sustained and coordinated action now, the risk to patients will increase.’

The report shows that the UK has around 14,000 licensed medicines, supplied through complex global networks that are closely monitored and managed. In the past year, 264 medicines were monitored under shortage protocols, with just around 1–2% of these disruptions classified as critical.

It finds that while around 95% of potential disruptions are identified and resolved early, some have a real impact and require urgent attention.

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Ross Maclagan, head of supply and distribution policy at ABPI, said: ‘Systems to manage supply were stress tested like never before during the pandemic, as well as by the recent conflicts in Ukraine and now the Middle East.

‘While the industry has met these challenges, global pressures are growing, and we cannot be complacent. That is why this report sets out practical recommendations to make an already resilient system even stronger, so patients can continue to get the medicines they need when they need them.’

The reports states that disruptions are most common in generic medicines, which account for 75% of NHS prescriptions, with generic stock issues identified as the most frequent cause of supply chain disruption.

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To reduce medicines supply risks, the ABPI recommends:

1. Improving early warning of supply issues: strengthen reporting systems so risks can be identified earlier and addressed before patients are affected.
2. Proactive sharing of data to improve forecasting: enable clearer, two-way data sharing between industry, the NHS and government.
3. Strengthening collaborative planning across the system: improve communication, notice periods and coordination between pharmaceutical companies, the NHS, government and patients, particularly during disruptions and major contract changes.
4. Supporting innovation and digital transformation: encourage the appropriate use of digital tools and artificial intelligence to improve forecasting, visibility and coordination across the medicines supply chain.
5. Enabling regulatory flexibility: use proportionate regulatory flexibilities, including faster approvals and temporary use of alternative packs or imports.