H-ISAC TLP White Report: The Global Risks of Systemic Reliance on Critical Mineral Imports

Introduction

Shortages of medicine have been an ongoing issue for healthcare providers worldwide. These delays can lead to wait times for refills of prescription medicines. Some patients have reported wait times up to three months for refills of common prescriptions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication. According to a survey conducted by the data analytics firm Kaufman Hall, 71% of healthcare organizations are experiencing distribution delays in their supply chains in 2023. This issue is not unique to a geographic region with both the US and EU experiencing shortages.¹ Both of which have triggered policy at the highest levels to address one of the root causes, shortages of raw materials. 

The supply chain landscape changed dramatically after the COVID-19 pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare supply chain underwent immense stress as organizations scrambled to accommodate the massive influx of patients. This happened on a global scale, and supply soon began to fall behind the massive spike in demand. Through the race for medical materials, the vulnerabilities in the global supply chain were highlighted. The shortages during the pandemic were so significant that many pharmaceutical shortages still exist today^.2

View the detailed report below.

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¹ https://www.kaufmanhall.com/insights/research-report/2023-state-healthcare-performance-improvement-report 
² https://www.aha.org/aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2023-04-25-returning-normalcy-anything-health-care-supply-chain