Medicine shortages have become a persistent challenge in Ireland and across Europe, affecting patients, pharmacists and healthcare systems. While occasional shortages once emerged as isolated events, recent trends show that supply issues are increasingly systemic, requiring coordinated action from regulators, manufacturers, policymakers and healthcare professionals.
What is a medicine shortage
A medicine shortage occurs when the supply of a medicine cannot meet patient needs. In Ireland, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) maintains an up-to-date list of shortages reported by manufacturers and wholesalers, and runs a national framework aimed at managing and mitigating the impact on patients. Also, for the latest updates on medicine shortages, you can visit the Irish Pharmacy Union website at https://ipu.ie/pharmacy-support/ipu-product-file/medicines-shortages/
Shortages can disrupt patient care, force therapeutic substitutions and increase workload across healthcare settings. According to the 2025 IPU Medicine Shortages Survey, while 57% of pharmacists reported a ‘significant increase‘ over the past year, this is a notable drop from 82% in 2024. Despite new tracking metrics, the proportion of pharmacists experiencing 41 or more concurrent shortages remains unchanged at 57%.
Why shortages occur
There is no single cause behind shortages, each situation has its own drivers, but a combination of factors regularly contributes:
- Manufacturing delays or quality issues, including shortages of active pharmaceutical ingredients.
- Supply chain breakdowns affecting packaging or distribution.
- Unexpected demand spikes, such as seasonal illness or higher prescribing
- Ongoing shifts in prescribing habits are a primary driver of medicine shortages. The surge in demand for treatments like ADHD medication, Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), and weight-loss injectables (Ozempic, etc.), often fueled by media coverage, has strained supply chains.
- Market dynamics in which low margins for generic medicines reduce incentives to maintain stock.
- Manufacturer allocations: The 2025 survey reveals that 62% of pharmacists now believe that ‘allocations‘ imposed by manufacturers (where supplies are rationed to certain pharmacies) are a primary driver of supply instability.
- Regulatory and pricing pressures that affect profitability and supply decisions by manufacturers.
- ‘Off-label’ use, such as prescribing SSRIs for PMS, introduces new patient groups that existing stock levels weren’t designed to support. As one pharmacist noted, the supply chain is so volatile that ‘as soon as one medicine comes back into stock, another is gone‘.
The HPRA notes that over 60% of reported shortages relate to manufacturing delays or quality issues, and shortages can arise even when products are not officially listed as in short supply because availability may vary across wholesalers.
Real impacts on pharmacy and patient care
Shortages create ripple effects throughout Irish healthcare:
- Increased workload for pharmacists: Recent surveys found community pharmacists are spending more than six hours per week managing shortages, challenging workflow and patient service.
- Patient distress and delays in treatment: Interruptions in therapy, especially for chronic conditions like ADHD or respiratory illnesses, can worsen health outcomes and increase anxiety for patients.
- Frequent need for alternatives: Pharmacists often need to liaise with prescribers or source alternatives from other suppliers, adding administrative burden and complexity.
These impacts highlight why shortages influence clinical practice and patient trust in the healthcare system.
Government and industry responses
Recognising the urgency of improving supply stability, in January of 2026 the Irish Government announced new Framework Agreements in principle with the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) and Medicines for Ireland (MFI). These multi-year deals aim to strengthen the predictability, stability and security of medicine supply and reduce the risk of shortages.
Key elements include:
- A commitment to faster patient access to innovative medicines through structured timelines for reimbursement decisions
- Measures to strengthen the security of medicine supply and reduce shortages
- Encouragement of off-patent launches and broader supplier participation to diversify medicine availability
- Support for financial sustainability within the health service while maintaining access to essential medicines
In addition, the frameworks seek to ensure more efficient launch and reimbursement pathways for new treatments, with the goal of aligning with statutory timelines for assessments and reimbursements.
The role of collaboration and transparency
Both national and European voices, including EAHP and professional associations, have called for better coordination across stakeholders to alleviate the impact of shortages. Suggested measures include national task forces involving regulators, industry and health professionals, risk assessments by manufacturers and transparent information sharing across the supply chain.
In Ireland, the HPRA’s Medicines Shortages Framework attempts to bring together diverse stakeholders, from manufacturers to healthcare professionals and patient groups, to monitor and respond proactively when shortages threaten continuity of care.
What’s next for Ireland
Medicine shortages are unlikely to disappear entirely, especially in a globalised pharmaceutical landscape where supply chains cross borders and manufacturers operate internationally. However, recent policy developments, including Framework agreements designed to strengthen supply security and improve access, suggest a more proactive approach is underway.
Increasingly, the focus is shifting towards systems that anticipate shortages rather than simply reacting to them once they occur. This includes better data visibility, diversified supply routes, regulatory flexibility and, crucially, stronger collaboration between pharmacies.
This is where pharmacy networks play an essential role. In markets such as Spain, LUDA Partners has already demonstrated how connecting pharmacies through a shared digital network can help mitigate the impact of shortages. By enabling pharmacies to see stock availability across nearby locations, LUDA helps pharmacists quickly identify where medicines are available and guide patients accordingly, reducing delays, frustration and unnecessary referrals.
Applying this network-based approach alongside Ireland’s evolving medicines access policies could significantly strengthen resilience at community level. Rather than operating in isolation, pharmacies can benefit from shared visibility, faster decision-making and coordinated responses when supply issues arise.
Ireland’s approach reflects a broader understanding: ensuring rapid access to essential and innovative medicines is not only about manufacturing and regulation, but also about empowering pharmacies with the right digital infrastructure. By combining policy reform with connected pharmacy networks, the system moves closer to a more resilient, patient-centred model of care.