The EMA has developed a new tool which they hope will harmonise the monitoring of medicine shortages across Europe. The new platform is expected to tackle the challenges in managing the shortages of medicines by improving the collection, sharing and analysis of data.

Named the European Shortages Monitoring Platform (ESMP), it was pre-launched in November of last year and was only being used as a platform for routine reporting. The first full version is became available on the 29th January 2025.

The platform is designed to handle a range of scenarios from routine reporting of medicinal product shortages to major public health emergencies. Submitted data is ingested and made available in real time, with supply and demand information available to alert the EMA of potential unmet needs or national shortages.

The ESMP will also feature an interface where stakeholders can submit data directly to the EMA. Additionally, an open-access platform will allow the public to access information on shortages.

Further information from the European Medicines Agency

For further information on what it involves and the history of the decision making and process, follow the link to the ESMP web page: