Table 1.
Characteristics of pharmaceutical products reported on shortage in 2012–2018
| 2012–2018 n (%) |
|
| Total | 3530 (100) |
| Marketing authorisation procedures | |
| National | 2217 (62.8) |
| European | 1249 (35.4) |
| Unavailable data | 64 (1.81) |
| Duration of marketing authorisation grants | |
| >10 years | 2237 (63.4) |
| ≤10 years | 1212 (34.3) |
| Unavailable data | 81 (2.30) |
| Pharmaceutical forms | |
| Oral | 1529 (43.3) |
| Injectable | 1675 (47.5) |
| Others | 326 (9.24) |
| Storage conditions | |
| Ambient temperature | 2995 (84.8) |
| +2°C<Temperature < +8°C | 533 (16.0) |
| −18°C<Temperature | 2 (0.00) |
| ATC* classes | |
| Alimentary tract and metabolism | 217 (6.15) |
| Anti-infectives for systemic use | 634 (18.0) |
| Antineoplastic and immunomodulating agents | 367 (10.4) |
| Antiparasitic products, insecticides and repellents | 39 (1.10) |
| Blood and blood forming organs | 312 (8.84) |
| Cardiovascular system | 442 (12.5) |
| Dermatologicals | 59 (1.67) |
| Genitourinary system and reproductive hormones | 151 (4.30) |
| Musculoskeletal system | 155 (4.40) |
| Nervous system | 613 (17.4) |
| Respiratory system | 119 (3.40) |
| Sensory organs | 97 (2.80) |
| Systemic hormonal preparations | 160 (4.53) |
| Various/others | 165 (4.70) |
*ATC: Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification of drugs: according to the WHO collaborating center for Drug Statistics Methodoly.