Drug shortages affected 111 products in the UK thisyear – but the outlook for 2024 may be better

Millions of people across the globe have been affected. Diomedes Cordero Acevedo/ Shutterstock

Over the past year there has been a consistent stream of drug supply issues in the UK and internationally. Recent figures show more than 111 products have been affected in the UK alone. This is more than double the figure recorded for 2022.

These supply issues have led to shortages of numerous products. While global scarcity of Ozempic and Wegovy have received much attention, many other drugs in the UK have been in short supply – including drugs used to manage type 2 diabetes, ADHD and menopause symptoms.