Researchers have warned that Australia is suffering from a shortage of essential prescription drugs and patients are struggling to access life-saving treatments.
A study by the University of South Australia revealed Australian pharmacists are at the mercy of unpredictable global supply chains for much-needed products.
Of 142 pharmacists, about 90 percent said they resort to finding alternative suppliers for medications on a weekly basis.
The same proportion of pharmacists revealed that they often substitute similar medications for those that are unaffordable.
“There have been particular groups of medications that have been in very short supply and extremely difficult to obtain,” said Matthew Gillespie of the Pharmacy Guild. nine news.
Adelaide pharmacist Theo Skrembos said shortages have affected drugs that treat diabetes, cholesterol and even antibiotics.
Hormone replacement medications have also been in short supply.
Ninety per cent of Australia’s medicines come from overseas and supply problems are difficult to predict.
Twenty-four-year-old Harrison Cal said getting his daily insulin medications has become a struggle.

Cal said he has to call up to 10 pharmacies to get the diabetes medications he needs.
“Obviously this leads to increased costs, which then have to be passed on to the patient, which during a cost of living crisis is a bit unreasonable,” Mr Skrembos said.
Harrison Cal, a 24-year-old Australian living with type 1 diabetes, said he has been struggling for months to get the long-acting insulin medications he needs twice a day.
“I have to call eight to 10 pharmacists and they don’t even have Levimere or sometimes even Novorapid, which they don’t have,” Mr. Cal said.
The federal government said shortages are inevitable and it is working to find a way to ensure more drugs are produced on Australian soil.