Medicines shortages could cause death of children, says FIP

Press Release

The safety and lives of children are being put at risk as a result of medicines shortages, FIP said today (29 January) at the World Health Organization Executive Board meeting in Geneva. Switzerland. The federation also told the executive board that shortages are worsening.

FIP gave financial support towards the Technical Consultation on Preventing and Managing Global Stock Outs of Medicines organised by the WHO in December 2015, in order to find solutions to this serious problem. At the executive board meeting today, FIP noted that the recommendations of the consultation were aligned with recommendations made as a result of FIP’s International Summit on Medicines Shortages in 2013, but that it also highlighted the need for common emergency procedures to facilitate the movement of quality medicine among countries and to address the lack of data on demand.

“We call for an international, coordinated approach to tackle, once and for all, medicines shortages,” FIP said.

In the past few days, FIP has also spoken on antimicrobial resistance, promoting the health of migrants, and the role of the health sector in the sound management of chemicals at the executive board meeting. It made two further interventions at the meeting, on behalf of the World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA), including one on counterfeit medicines. The interventions can be accessed below:

• Role of the health sector in the sound management of chemicals (Agenda item 7 6; FIP)

• Antimicrobial resistance (Agenda item 8.5; FIP)

• Promoting the health of migrants (Agenda item 8 7; FIP)

• Substandard/spurious/falsely-labelled/falsified/counterfeit medical products (Agenda item 10.4; FIP on behalf of WHPA)

• Addressing the global shortages of medicines and the safety and accessibility of children's medication (Agenda item 10.5; FIP)

• Framework of engagement with non-State actors (Agenda item 5.3; FIP on behalf of WHPA)