EXCLUSIVE

Generics shortages are “getting better” even though the reasons behind them are becoming more complex, wholesalers have said.

Identifying the reasons behind shortages is “more complicated than ever before” because they can “differ with different products”, British Association of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers (BAPW) executive director Martin Sawer said.

“It’s not necessarily about shortages, but about whether the market is functioning well enough for pharmacy to get their products quickly,” he told C+D in an exclusive interview on Tuesday (October 13).

While he “still sympathises with pharmacists wasting time” trying to get hold of generics, the situation is improving, Mr Sawer said.

One of the reasons for this is an increase in parallel imports because of the pound’s improved exchange rate, he explained.

The government's supply chain forum – set up to reduce shortages – had not met since C+D last spoke to Mr Sawer in September, he said.

It is too early to say whether the competition watchdog's preliminary enquiries into stock shortages – which C+D revealed in August – is “going to be helpful”, Mr Sawer said. “Obviously if they come up with something that encourages supply chain members to communicate better then that’s good,” he added.

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