<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australians are already struggling to fill up their cars as </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/petrol-news-australian-competition-and-consumer-commission-to-investigation-allegations-of-anticompetitive-conduct-by-regional-fuel-retailers/4eb3ac2d-fa27-40bd-9cce-705ccb4a0f44" rel="" target="_blank" title="petrol prices surge"><span>petrol prices surge</span></a><span> due to the war in Iran, and there are fears the cost of filling a prescription could spike next.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Logistical issues and supply shortages could see the price of medicines rise as the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-live-updates-march-19-donald-trump-officials-should-must-make-his-decisions-as-successful-as-possible-jd-vance-says-irans-new-supreme-leader-issues-a-rare-statement/db9709f9-041a-4e5d-a484-cec456ce469d" rel="" target="_blank" title="conflict in the Middle East"><span>conflict in the Middle East</span></a><span> continues.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Even a small hike or brief shortage could hurt Aussies' hip pockets and their health.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-live-updates-march-19-donald-trump-officials-should-must-make-his-decisions-as-successful-as-possible-jd-vance-says-irans-new-supreme-leader-issues-a-rare-statement/db9709f9-041a-4e5d-a484-cec456ce469d" target="_blank"><strong><span>Iran pledges to hit back over gas field attack</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) president Dr Michael Wright urged Aussies not to panic yet.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If we do have a shortage, people shouldn't panic because in most situations there will be an alternative," he told nine.com.au.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And for most people, given that most medications are on the PBS [Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme], it shouldn't make a difference to the price."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/us-israel-iran-war-medicine-supply-shortage-prices/c539f35a-77d7-4671-9790-66eb04925618" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The price of medications that are not on the PBS may increase due to supply issues, but Wright couldn't say by how much.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It'll depend on how long the supply chain is disrupted for."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Right now, pharmaceutical companies are urgently rerouting critical medical supplies due to Iran's ongoing blockade on the Strait of Hormuz.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Cut off from the critical trade route, some have been forced to redirect medical supplies from sea to air freight to ensure they make it to Australia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/cheese-pulled-from-shelves-at-coles-iga-over-undeclared-allergen/e2b9331d-dda4-48b1-973c-a96713354c6b" target="_blank"><strong><span>Cheese pulled from shelves at Coles, IGA over undeclared allergen</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They've also had to use alternative flight routes to avoid Middle Eastern airspace, which can slam shut with a moment's notice.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Critical petroleum-based ingredients used to make common drugs like paracetamol, ibuprofen and antibiotics, and raw materials from the Middle East used in many medicines, could also be in short supply soon.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>All of these disruptions could cause manufacturing delays, medicine shortages and price hikes here in Australia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Medicines Australia told nine.com.au in a statement that current delays linked to disruptions in shipping routes have generally been limited to a matter of days.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It is monitoring the situation closely and said pharmaceutical companies have contingency plans in place.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We would also encourage patients not to panic buy or stockpile medicines, as this can place unnecessary pressure on supply and impact access for others," it said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/queensland-weather-news-tropical-low-could-develop-into-cyclone-off-the-far-north-coast-by-the-end-of-the-week/22d36efb-98ef-470e-99de-fe9a23cda346" target="_blank"><strong><span>Warning Cyclone Narelle 'may be biggest weather system in living memory'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australia has been dealing with medicine shortages since the COVID-19 pandemic.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There are currently almost 400 </span><a href="https://apps.tga.gov.au/prod/MSI/search/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="medicine shortages"><span>medicine shortages</span></a><span> in Australia, 37 of which are considered critical, and more than 90 anticipated shortages.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And the war in the Middle East has the potential to further disrupt those supply chains, meaning that it's harder for medications to get here," Wright said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) monitors medicine shortages and has, in the past, fast-tracked alternative medicines during critical shortages.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But when Australia imports 90 per cent of its medications and most of the raw ingredients used to make medicine, the thought of extended supply issues is confronting.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Our patients are very concerned about the impact of medicines supply," RACGP Expert Committee quality care chair Professor Mark Morgan said in a statement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There are few things more concerning than potentially losing access to a medicine you have been advised to take for your health."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-update-australia-and-dozens-of-others-condemn-iran-over-attacks-on-neighbours-critical-shipping-closure/5440f1eb-2a2a-431c-bb18-55e90e1dea19" target="_blank"><strong><span>Australia and dozens of others condemn Iran over attacks on neighbours, critical shipping closure</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="player__video-container"><img alt="" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/zqFissMXedg8Tnue_b9elUpgEx4=/750x0/https%3A%2F%2Fvms-network-images-prod.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com%2F2026%2F03%2F761232%2Fpickerimage.jpg"/></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The impacts of the war in the Middle East on Australia's pharmaceutical supply chain has shown how vulnerable it is to global supply shocks.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"One thing we probably could do more of is we could produce more medications locally, and that would be a way to get around some of our dependencies," Wright said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Morgan agreed that a thriving local pharmaceutical manufacturing industry would mitigate some of the supply risks Australia currently faces.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the UK, which also relies heavily on importing medicine, Independent Pharmacies Association chief executive Dr Leyla Hannbeck has called on the government to take action to prevent major shortages in the face of supply issues.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She has called for shorter prescription durations to prevent people from stockpiling medication, and the implementation of legislation banning the export of 150 drugs.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Wright said Australia isn't at that stage yet.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We certainly don't have to panic or take sort of drastic action at this point."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 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