# \[e-drug\] shortage of ACTs and other pharmaceuticals

**URL:** <https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-shortage-of-acts-and-other-pharmaceuticals/20993>\
**Category:** e-drug\
**Created:** [November 14, 2004, 1:18am UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-shortage-of-acts-and-other-pharmaceuticals/20993 "2004-11-14T01:18:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Libby\_Levison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Libby\_Levison](https://talk.edrugplus.org/u/Libby_Levison)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2004, 1:18am UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-shortage-of-acts-and-other-pharmaceuticals/20993/1 "2004-11-14T01:18:05Z")

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E-DRUG: shortage of ACTs and other pharmaceuticals  
--------------------------------------------------

> "Maybe we should also discuss how the international community got into  
> this crisis, and what could have been done to prevent this? The debate  
> is open! WB"

Dear E-Drug members,

But isn't the threat in fact much wider than the ACTs? I can only assume  
that the GFATM has a process whereby they total up the projected needs of  
ARVs, TB meds, ACTs etc for all of their programs -- but is this  
information being relayed to the pharmaceutical manufacturers? And is this  
in turn being relayed to the chemical manufacturers?

Furthermore, with more donors making resources available for medicine  
delivery programs, is there any sort of "global" total around? That is,  
has anyone calculated the projected total needs for the GFATM, PEPFAR, the  
Clinton Foundation, etc, and relayed this information to the manufacturers?

If not, then we're in trouble. Shortages means several things: increased  
morbidity and mortality, but also increased costs (as demand drives up  
price). Do these donor programs allow for re-budgeting as prices increase?

So what could be done to prevent this? How about a nice, transparent  
website that keeps a running total of estimated pharmaceutical needs of all  
these programs, and contrasts that with expected production levels of both  
molecules (or, in the case of ACT, vines) and pills? Of does it exist and  
I haven't found it yet?

Regards,

Libby Levison  
Pharmaceutical management consultant  
libby@theplateau.com

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**Author:** ![msesay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@msesay](https://talk.edrugplus.org/u/msesay)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2004, 12:18pm UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-shortage-of-acts-and-other-pharmaceuticals/20993/2 "2004-11-14T12:18:09Z")

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E-DRUG: shortage of ACTs and other pharmaceuticals (2)  
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dear E-druggers

Shortages also mean there will be an increased likelihood of noncompliance  
and the related problem of "resistance" to chemotherapeutic agents; a scary  
word to contemplate in ACT hope land!! But let not this divert us from the  
real issues which Libby and WB raise," How can we prevent this from  
happening again". This assumes of course that the malaria control community  
will rapidly resolve the current problem.

Murtada M. Sesay  
Copenhagen, Denmark  
msesay@unicef.org