According to the Drug Administration of Vietnam - Ministry of Health, basically, the drug supply is still guaranteed, even in the event of epidemics and floods.
The objective causes of the drug shortage are the disruption of the global supply chain for drugs and pharmaceutical ingredients due to wars in Europe and the Middle East; difficulties in forecasting and determining special needs for some drugs whose needs depend on the disease situation each year.
The subjective reason is that some medical facilities are not proactive in planning to prepare medicine; they are hesitant in planning and bidding to buy medicine even though the regulations on bidding for medicine have a full legal framework. Localities are not close in directing to ensure medicine supply.
To address the above situation, the Ministry of Health has issued and advised on the issuance of many legal documents and pharmaceutical professional guidance documents for units to apply and implement; urged and strengthened the direction and management of ensuring drug supply, especially in cases of natural disasters and epidemics; regularly completed and implemented administrative procedures on pharmaceuticals.
The Ministry of Health has advised and implemented Resolution No. 80/2023/QH15 dated January 9, 2023, Resolution No. 30/NQ-CP dated March 4, 2023. Up to now, there are over 24,000 drugs with valid circulation registration certificates; in 2023 and the first 11 months of 2024, nearly 15,000 licenses to import drugs and pharmaceutical ingredients have been granted to ensure adequate drug supply.
Regarding the improvement of institutions and policies, the Ministry of Health has consulted on amending the 2016 Pharmacy Law and detailed regulations, including simplifying administrative procedures to facilitate businesses and people; strengthening online procedures; For drugs with limited supply, allowing medical examination and treatment facilities to proactively import drugs without having to depend on pharmaceutical businesses; Piloting decentralization to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health to handle applications for drug import licenses to meet special treatment needs in the area to reduce the burden on central management agencies.
According to the plan, in 2025, the Ministry of Health will continue to advise the Government to amend the Decree guiding the Law on Pharmacy to legalize the plan to simplify and decentralize administrative procedures on the import and export of drugs and pharmaceutical ingredients.
Activities of applying information technology and monitoring drug supply sources are also enhanced to promptly regulate drug import and trading;
In particular, the Ministry of Health has closely coordinated with the World Health Organization and drug administration agencies of other countries to seek supply sources and take advantage of available aid drugs abroad to promptly handle situations of shortage of especially rare drugs.
In addition, the direction and management of ensuring the supply of drugs, especially rare drugs and drugs with difficulty in supply, is also focused on. Promoting the proactive role of local authorities and health sectors in management in direction and management, and the proactiveness of medical facilities in regularly reviewing, proactively and promptly planning and organizing procurement.
