Australian pregnancy drugs shortage sparks call to include pregnant women in clinical trials

Experts call for more research into ‘off-label’ medications, and supply chain alternatives not driven by profit motive

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Several crucial medicines for pregnant women are in shortage in Australia because of a “perfect storm”, experts warn, whereby the only drugs registered as safe for pregnancy are old and less profitable to pharmaceutical companies discontinuing their distribution amid manufacturing disruptions since the pandemic.

An editorial published in the Medical Journal of Australia on Monday called on the government to create a body responsible for registering, importing and manufacturing critical medications for use during pregnancy, independent of the need to obtain a profit.

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