EAHP's 2014 survey of medicines shortages in European hospitals was the largest investigation of its kind, with over 600 responses from 36 European countries.
Headline findings include:
- 86% of hospital pharmacists reported that medicines shortages are a current problem in the hospital they work in, in terms of providing the best care to patients and/or operating the hospital pharmacy
- 66% of respondents said that medicines shortages affect their hospital pharmacy on a daily or weekly basis
- Antimicrobial agents, oncology products, emergency medicines, cardiovascular medicines and anaesthetic agents are the top affected
- 75.4% of hospital pharmacists either agreed or stongly agreed with the statement "medicines shortages in my hospital are having a negative impact on patient care."
- 63% of hospital pharmacists estimate that the typical medicines shortage normally lasts for a number of weeks
- Reported impacts for patients include delayed or interrupted chemotherapy treatment, unnecessary experience by patients of side effects, heightened clostridium difficile risk and deterioration in patients' conditions.
Full report HERE .
Press release HERE .
Infographic HERE
Video HERE .