Will Coronavirus Restrictions Mean a Shortage of Important Medical Drugs?

A recent Quartz article looks at drug company distribution under COVID restrictions and what it will mean for patients in need of life-saving drugs. The COVID-19 pandemic has meant disruption for many industries and supply chains. Pharmaceutical supply chains want to protect themselves and so they are unwilling to divulge what drugs are in short supply or may soon be in short supply. This makes it difficult for regulators and public health officials to know how to plan ahead. The problem with determining how COVID will affect the supply of medication is that many pharmaceutical ingredients are produced outside the USA and many manufacturing plants are also located in other countries. With corona restrictions limiting air travel and, in some countries, limiting business operations it is uncertain what point of the production chain could be disrupted.

Source: How Covid-19 could disrupt pharmaceutical supply chains — Quartz