Medicines anguish.

SHORTAGES of medicines is causing patients "extreme distress", pharmacists warned. Of more than 150 community pharmacies surveyed, nearly a third said patients had suffered because they had difficulty sourcing certain medicines.

Nearly 90% of respondents said they were "very concerned" about difficulties they were having. The supply problems are being blamed on a healthy export market for medicines and production quotas set by drug manufacturers. A spokesman for the Department of Health said officials were aware of the issue.

Print Get the Mag Weekly Updates