According to a survey conducted in late 2024 and early 2025, some 82 percent of European countries who reported experiencing medicine shortages in their countries during the last 12 months reported reduced employee satisfaction in community pharmacies as a result. This graph shows the impacts of medicine shortages on community pharmacies in European countries who reported medicine shortages.
Impacts of medicine shortages on community pharmacies in European countries who reported medicine shortages as of 2024
Characteristic
Percentage of respondent countries
Reduced patient/customer trust
82%
Reduced employee satisfaction
82%
Financial loss due to time invested in mitigating shortages
82%
Increased administrative duties
71%
Financial loss due to needed operational changes such as minimum stock keeping, import fees, etc.
43%
Direct financial loss due to increased sourcing prices as a reaction to low availability of a certain medicine
36%
Direct financial loss due to changes in reimbursement practices
Original question: "In your experience, how have medicines shortages affected community pharmacies in your country? Tick all that apply." Countries who participated in the survey include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden. Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Medicine shortage was defined as every (temporary) inability for a community or hospital pharmacy to supply patients with the medicinal product requested as a result of factors beyond their control, requiring the dispensing of an alternative agent or even discontinuation of an ongoing medical therapy.
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PGEU. (January 24, 2025). Impacts of medicine shortages on community pharmacies in European countries who reported medicine shortages as of 2024 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved April 21, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1331247/european-countries-medicine-shortages-impact-on-community-pharmacies/
PGEU. "Impacts of medicine shortages on community pharmacies in European countries who reported medicine shortages as of 2024." Chart. January 24, 2025. Statista. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1331247/european-countries-medicine-shortages-impact-on-community-pharmacies/
PGEU. (2025). Impacts of medicine shortages on community pharmacies in European countries who reported medicine shortages as of 2024. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: April 21, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1331247/european-countries-medicine-shortages-impact-on-community-pharmacies/
PGEU. "Impacts of Medicine Shortages on Community Pharmacies in European Countries Who Reported Medicine Shortages as of 2024." Statista, Statista Inc., 24 Jan 2025, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1331247/european-countries-medicine-shortages-impact-on-community-pharmacies/
PGEU, Impacts of medicine shortages on community pharmacies in European countries who reported medicine shortages as of 2024 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1331247/european-countries-medicine-shortages-impact-on-community-pharmacies/ (last visited April 21, 2025)
Impacts of medicine shortages on community pharmacies in European countries who reported medicine shortages as of 2024 [Graph], PGEU, January 24, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1331247/european-countries-medicine-shortages-impact-on-community-pharmacies/
