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The impacts of medication shortages on patient outcomes: A scoping review

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  • Jonathan Minh Phuong
  • Jonathan Penm
  • Betty Chaar
  • Lachlan Daniel Oldfield
  • Rebekah Moles

Abstract

Background: In recent years, medication shortages have become a growing worldwide issue. This scoping review aimed to systematically synthesise the literature to report on the economic, clinical, and humanistic impacts of medication shortages on patient outcomes. Methods: Medline, Embase, Global Health, PsycINFO and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts were searched using the two key concepts of medicine shortage and patient outcomes. Articles were limited to the English language, human studies and there were no limits to the year of publication. Manuscripts included contained information regarding the shortage of a scheduled medication and had gathered data regarding the economic, clinical, and/or humanistic outcomes of drug shortages on human patients. Findings: We found that drug shortages were predominantly reported to have adverse economic, clinical and humanistic outcomes to patients. Patients were more commonly reported to have increased out of pocket costs, rates of drug errors, adverse events, mortality, and complaints during times of shortage. There were also reports of equivalent and improved patient outcomes in some cases. Conclusions: The results of this review provide valuable insights into the impact drug shortages have on patient outcomes. The majority of studies reported medication shortages resulted in negative patient clinical, economic and humanistic outcomes.

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  • Jonathan Minh Phuong & Jonathan Penm & Betty Chaar & Lachlan Daniel Oldfield & Rebekah Moles, 2019. "The impacts of medication shortages on patient outcomes: A scoping review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(5), pages 1-17, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0215837
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215837
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Josephine Walker & Betty B Chaar & Numa Vera & Alvish S Pillai & Jessy S Lim & Lisa Bero & Rebekah J Moles, 2017. "Medicine shortages in Fiji: A qualitative exploration of stakeholders’ views," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(6), pages 1-16, June.
    2. Brandi Thoma & Julius Li & Cara McDaniel & Cindy Wordell & Nicholas Cavarocchi & Laura Pizzi, 2014. "Clinical and Economic Impact of Substituting Dexmedetomidine for Propofol due to a US Drug Shortage: Examination of Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Patients at an Urban Medical Centre," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 149-157, February.
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    5. Mai Duong & Rebekah J Moles & Betty Chaar & Timothy F Chen & World Hospital Pharmacy Research Consortium (WHoPReC), 2015. "Essential Medicines in a High Income Country: Essential to Whom?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(12), pages 1-14, December.
    6. David Moher & Alessandro Liberati & Jennifer Tetzlaff & Douglas G Altman & The PRISMA Group, 2009. "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(7), pages 1-6, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Vogler, Sabine & Fischer, Stefan, 2020. "How to address medicines shortages: Findings from a cross-sectional study of 24 countries," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(12), pages 1287-1296.
    2. Chatterjee, Chirantan & Gupta, Samarth, 2024. "Public entry and private prices: New evidence from Indian pharmaceutical markets," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 219(C), pages 473-489.
    3. Vogler, Sabine, 2024. "Tackling medicine shortages during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: Compilation of governmental policy measures and developments in 38 countries," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    4. Rosa Rodriguez-Monguio & Mahim Naveed & Enrique Seoane-Vazquez, 2021. "Predictors of shortages of opioid analgesics in the US: Are the characteristics of the drug company the missing puzzle piece?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(3), pages 1-13, March.
    5. Poormoaied, Saeed & Atan, Zümbül, 2020. "A multi-attribute utility theory approach to ordering policy for perishable items," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).

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