Responding to Australia's medication shortages in palliative care: the need for a multi-agency coordinated response

Shalini Ponnampalam; Myles Wright; Bessie Wong; Aaron Bak Ong Wong

doi:10.1111/imj.70508

Responding to Australia's medication shortages in palliative care: the need for a multi-agency coordinated response

Shalini Ponnampalam
, Myles Wright
, Bessie Wong
, Aaron Bak Ong Wong

Eastern Health Clinical School Research

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment / Debate › Other › peer-review

Abstract

Palliative care patients often experience symptoms that may be burdensome or challenging to manage adequately. Complex symptoms require nuanced decision-making for successful management. Medication shortages are a constant threat to effective management and quality-of-life outcomes for this population. Several palliative care medications in addition to opioids have been affected. Infrastructure of a dedicated multi-agency response is required to coordinate prompt outcomes in navigating this complex landscape.

Original language	English
Number of pages	5
Journal	Internal Medicine Journal
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/imj.70508
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 13 Jul 2026

Access to Document

10.1111/imj.70508

Cite this

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title = "Responding to Australia's medication shortages in palliative care: the need for a multi-agency coordinated response",

abstract = "Palliative care patients often experience symptoms that may be burdensome or challenging to manage adequately. Complex symptoms require nuanced decision-making for successful management. Medication shortages are a constant threat to effective management and quality-of-life outcomes for this population. Several palliative care medications in addition to opioids have been affected. Infrastructure of a dedicated multi-agency response is required to coordinate prompt outcomes in navigating this complex landscape.",

author = "Shalini Ponnampalam and Myles Wright and Bessie Wong and Wong, \{Aaron Bak Ong\}",

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AU - Wright, Myles

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AB - Palliative care patients often experience symptoms that may be burdensome or challenging to manage adequately. Complex symptoms require nuanced decision-making for successful management. Medication shortages are a constant threat to effective management and quality-of-life outcomes for this population. Several palliative care medications in addition to opioids have been affected. Infrastructure of a dedicated multi-agency response is required to coordinate prompt outcomes in navigating this complex landscape.

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