Masao Takahashi's dispensing pharmacy in Tokyo’s Koto Ward is grappling with nearly empty storage bins of cough suppressants and expectorants, crucial for clearing phlegm. Takahashi shared the challenges of keeping up with inventories, with only a fraction of the required medications available, leading to him often personally delivering drugs to patients due to the short supply.
The drug shortages worsened around three years ago when many generic drug manufacturers had to halt operations due to flawed testing and quality concerns. The demand for cough suppressants and expectorants surged in the past year alongside the spread of seasonal influenza and other respiratory infections post-COVID-19 pandemic, forcing pharmacies to face ongoing supply issues despite government calls for production ramp-up and subsidies to cover labor costs for pharmaceutical companies that comply. Despite the reported 10% increase in supply volumes by December compared to September levels, frontline workers like Takahashi remain skeptical, as the shortages persist without a noticeable improvement. Tackling shortages has forced pharmacists like Takahashi to personally manage prescription changes and deliveries to patients, with fluctuating supplies from different manufacturers arriving weekly. The Tokyo Pharmaceutical Association chairman emphasized that unless there is a broader increase in overall drug supplies, addressing the shortage issue and returning to normal levels could take several years. The government is planning to accelerate subsidies to drugmakers, potentially revise drug prices by 2024, and address the strains on the drug supply chain which have led to about 26% of drugs on the national health insurance list being in limited shipments or out of stock as of December, with generic products making up a significant portion of the affected drugs.