24 March 2025
With the number of medicines in shortage almost doubling in the last three years, and rural Australians facing long waits to see specialists, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) is calling for solutions in Tuesday’s federal budget.
Intravenous fluids and medicines for diabetes and ADHD are amongst the more than 400 medications listed on the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s shortage register.
President of the RACP, Professor Jennifer Martin, said Australia imports 90% of our medicines, making us highly susceptible to disruptions in supply.
“We need to invest in domestic manufacturing of medicines to ensure a stable and reliable supply of critical medications for Australian patients,” Professor Martin said.
The RACP is also calling for investment in data sharing systems to monitor medicine shortages and improve communication to prescribers.
“We need to make sure doctors and patients are notified through appropriate and accessible channels, and well in advance, of an upcoming medicine discontinuation – we shouldn’t let this valuable information ever fall through the cracks.”
Also of concern is the divide in access to specialist medical care between metropolitan and rural Australia. Nearly one-third of Australians live in rural and regional areas, and experience higher rates of complex and chronic disease than people in cities [1].
In the last four years, the percentage of patients waiting longer than acceptable times for specialist care has risen from 22% to 29%, with these delays disproportionately impacting regional communities [2].
“Because of the aging population and the growth in chronic disease more Australians than ever are seeking specialist care, yet we haven’t implemented workforce reforms that can help improve patient access,” Professor Martin said.
“People in rural and regional Australia are waiting far too long to see medical specialists. Many are forced to travel long distances for specialist consultations, while others are simply missing out altogether.
“The Government must fund additional specialist training positions in regional and rural communities.
"The data shows that medical specialists who train in rural areas are more likely to stay and practice there. We need dedicated funding to make this happen.
“The Federal Budget is an opportunity for the Government to take real action on reducing these healthcare inequities.”
The RACP is also calling for increased investment to deal with the health impacts of climate change.
“The increased frequency and intensity of weather events such as extreme heat, floods and cyclones like the one which has just battered our east coast are harming patients and putting immense pressure on our healthcare system,” Professor Martin said,
“We are looking to the Government to fully fund the National Health and Climate Strategy to ensure health systems can keep up, and to fund a rapid transition to a low carbon economy.”
Read RACP’s Pre-budget Submission 2025
[1] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare – Rural and remote health
[2] Patient Experiences – Australian Bureau of Statistics