1 week left for hospital pharmacists to share shortage experiences

The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) reminds its members that there is just one week remaining for hospital pharmacists in practice across Europe to share their experiences of medicines shortages via the current EAHP survey links.

The surveys, launched in the Autumn of 2012, seek responses in relation to both the prevalence of, and the impact upon patient care caused by, shortage problems, and will close at the end of Tuesday 19 February 2013.

Encouraging hospital pharmacy colleagues from across Europe to take part, EAHP President Dr Roberto Frontini said:

“In my time as EAHP President I have heard increasingly concerning reports of the problem of medicines shortages, the increasing time hospital pharmacists must spend seeking to source supply, and the potential impacts this can have on the delivery of patient care. EAHP now wants to compile verifiable evidence of the hospital pharmacist experience of the problem through two short focused surveys.

I hope all hospital pharmacists will have the five minutes required to contribute their experience of medicines shortage difficulties. We also encourage the return of open comments around the issue as all of these are read, taken note of and will be reflected in the final dissemination.

After closing the survey next week, it is our intention to present the results to industry, the European Commission, the European Medicines Agency and other stakeholders to assist their understanding and help to guide their decision-making on how to resolve the problems.”

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Richard Price
Policy and Advocacy Officer
European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP)
Tel: 00 322 741 6835
Email: richard.price[at]eahp[dot]eu

 
Notes to Editors

1. The survey examining the prevalence of the medicines shortage problem in European hospital pharmacy is available to respond to here:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HK5L839

2. The survey seeking information on the patient impacts of medicines shortage in European hospital pharmacy is available to respond to here:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PNBNMTK

3. EAHP is an association of national organisations representing hospital pharmacists at European and international levels. More information about the EAHP and its history here.

4. The General Assembly of the EAHP, made up of delegates from its 32 member countries, passed policy on medicines shortages in June 2012. EAHP is now gathering further evidence of the problem in the hospital pharmacy sector in order to present to regulatory decision-makers, industry and health system stakeholders. More information here.