Australia’s Medicine Shortages: A Practical Continuity Response for Pharmacies and
Procurement Teams
This article is directed at pharmacists, prescribers, hospital procurement teams, and accredited healthcare facilities. It does not constitute advice to individual patients or consumers. Medicine shortages are now part of day-to-day operations for Australian hospitals and pharmacies. When an essential medicine becomes constrained, the impact is immediate: treatment may be delayed, substitutions may be required, clinical teams may spend time chasing alternatives, and patients may be left waiting or uncertain. For pharmacy managers and procurement teams, shortages also create operational risk through fragmented ordering, urgent site-level escalations, and pressure on governance and documentation.
Practical pathways when medicines are unavailable
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) publishes shortage information through its medicine shortage reports database, including status, dates, and published management actions. For organisations managing constrained supply, it is a useful first reference point, alongside internal formulary, governance and escalation pathways.
HL Pharma provides a direct link to the TGA database on its website, so clients can check status and updates quickly. HL Pharma does not monitor every national shortage and does not provide clinical advice. Our role begins when hospitals, pharmacies, sponsors, or clinicians advise that a medicine they rely on is unavailable, constrained, discontinued, or at risk, and that a practical, compliant continuity response is required.
How HL Pharma supports continuity and compliant supply
Once a shortage is flagged, we confirm the essentials first: the treatment requirement as defined by the treating team, required-by date, strength and presentation, pack size, quantity, storage temperature, and any controlled drug scheduling or handling requirements. Where clinically appropriate and following relevant TGA authorisation, we can assist healthcare providers in facilitating access through established regulatory pathways including Section 19A or the Special Access Scheme. Access through these mechanisms requires valid clinical justification and prior regulatory approval.
From there, the product is managed through documented receipt, quarantine, and release controls, stored in validated, temperature-controlled, and secure environments, and distributed with chain-of-custody and batch traceability. Where supply is limited, we can support staged distribution and controlled allocation to prioritise sites with the most urgent need.
If you are managing a shortage now
The following information is directed at registered healthcare professionals, licensed pharmacies, and accredited healthcare facilities only. HL Pharma does not supply medicines directly to consumers. To move quickly, send the medicine name, strength, pack size, quantity, storage temperature, schedule (if applicable), delivery location(s), and required-by date. We will respond promptly with practical options that support continuity and compliant supply within the appropriate governance framework.
HL Pharma supports the compliant management of medicine shortages, access pathways, and continuity of supply. Contact our team here to discuss your requirements.