“An Urgent Public Health Crisis: Why So Many People Are Struggling to Get Medicine”

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“An Urgent Public Health Crisis: Why So Many People Are Struggling to Get Medicine”

Access to essential medicine is one of the most basic human rights — yet, in 2025, millions of people around the world still struggle to get the drugs they need to stay alive or manage chronic conditions. From rising pharmaceutical costs and broken supply chains to patent laws and global inequality, the issue has evolved into an urgent public health crisis. The inability to access medication affects not only individuals but entire healthcare systems, economies, and societies.

The Growing Crisis in Access to Medicines

Over the past decade, the global healthcare landscape has faced tremendous pressure. The COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical conflicts, and economic recessions have exposed the weaknesses in how medicines are manufactured, priced, and distributed. Even in wealthy nations, patients report shortages of common drugs such as antibiotics, insulin, and pain relievers. In lower-income countries, the situation is far worse — many lifesaving medicines are simply unavailable or unaffordable.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly two billion people worldwide still lack regular access to essential medicines. This means millions of preventable deaths each year and countless patients forced to go without treatment.

Rising Costs: When Medicine Becomes a Luxury

The most visible symptom of this crisis is cost. Pharmaceutical prices have been rising at an alarming rate, particularly in the United States and parts of Europe. Insulin, for example — a drug discovered more than a century ago — costs over ten times more in the U.S. than in most other developed countries. For people living with diabetes, this isn’t just inconvenient; it’s life-threatening.

There are multiple reasons for these soaring prices:

• Monopoly patents held by large pharmaceutical companies limit generic competition.
• High research and development costs are often cited, though critics argue that marketing expenses and shareholder profits play a larger role.
• Middlemen and distributors in the pharmaceutical supply chain also mark up prices before drugs reach pharmacies.

For patients without insurance or living in countries with weak healthcare coverage, even basic medications have become a financial burden. The phrase “choosing between food and medicine” is no longer just a cliché — it’s a daily reality for millions.

Drug Shortages and Supply Chain Breakdown

Even when people can afford medicines, they may not be able to find them. Drug shortages have become increasingly common worldwide. Hospitals and pharmacies regularly report stockouts of antibiotics, cancer drugs, and cardiovascular medications.

Several factors are fueling this shortage crisis:

• Global supply chain disruptions — from pandemics to wars — have limited the availability of raw materials and delayed shipments.
• Manufacturing concentration — many drugs are produced in only a few countries like India or China. When these factories face regulatory issues or natural disasters, the effects ripple across continents.
• Lack of investment in producing low-profit generic medicines has made certain essential drugs scarce.

The consequences can be devastating. Patients are forced to switch to less effective treatments, delay therapy, or in some cases, go without medicine entirely.

Inequality Between Rich and Poor Nations

Access to healthcare has always mirrored global inequality, and medicine is no exception. While rich countries stockpile vaccines and high-end treatments, poorer nations often wait months — or even years — for access to the same drugs.

For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, wealthier nations secured the majority of vaccine doses through advance purchase agreements, leaving developing countries scrambling for supplies. The same pattern continues with new treatments for cancer, hepatitis, and other chronic diseases.

This inequality is driven by:

• Patent protections that prevent generic manufacturing in low-income countries.
• Weak healthcare infrastructure, which limits distribution and refrigeration for certain medicines.
• Economic disparities that prevent governments from negotiating fair prices with pharmaceutical giants.

The result? Millions of preventable deaths that could have been avoided with timely access to affordable drugs.

Government Policies and Pharmaceutical Power

Government policies play a major role in how medicine is priced and distributed. In many countries, drug pricing is unregulated, allowing pharmaceutical companies to set prices based on what the market can bear rather than what patients can afford.

Lobbying and political influence further complicate the issue. Big Pharma spends billions each year to shape health policy, delay generic competition, and extend patent protections. Meanwhile, public health systems are left underfunded and overburdened.

However, there are success stories. Countries like Canada, India, and Brazil have implemented policies that encourage generic competition and bulk purchasing, significantly lowering costs for consumers. The challenge lies in scaling these solutions globally.

The Human Impact: Real Stories Behind the Numbers

Behind every statistic is a human story. A mother in Kenya walking miles to find antibiotics for her child. An elderly man in the U.S. rationing insulin because he can’t afford a refill. A cancer patient in the Philippines waiting months for chemotherapy drugs that are out of stock.

These stories reveal the harsh reality of a system that treats medicine as a commodity rather than a right. For patients with chronic illnesses, every delay or shortage is a matter of life and death.

The Role of Technology and Innovation

Despite the challenges, innovation offers some hope. Digital health platforms, telemedicine, and online pharmacies are improving access in remote areas. New manufacturing models, such as 3D printing of drugs and localized production, could reduce dependency on global supply chains.

Additionally, organizations like Doctors Without Borders and the Global Fund are pushing for open-source medicine development — allowing generic manufacturers to produce affordable versions of patented drugs.

Blockchain technology is also being tested to improve transparency in pharmaceutical supply chains, helping track drugs from production to pharmacy shelves and prevent counterfeit medicines.

What Can Be Done: A Call to Action

Solving the medicine access crisis requires a global effort involving governments, pharmaceutical companies, and international health organizations. Key steps include:

1. Encouraging generic drug production by reforming patent laws and limiting monopoly extensions.
2. Improving supply chain resilience with diversified manufacturing and better forecasting.
3. Implementing transparent drug pricing and reducing middlemen costs.
4. Investing in local healthcare systems, particularly in developing countries.
5. Supporting international agreements that prioritize public health over profit.

Public awareness is also crucial. Citizens must hold their leaders and health institutions accountable for ensuring that everyone — regardless of income or geography — has access to affordable medicine.

Conclusion

Access to medicine should never be a privilege. It’s a cornerstone of public health, social justice, and human dignity. Yet millions are left untreated because of profit-driven systems, policy failures, and global inequality.

If the world continues on this path, the gap between those who can afford care and those who cannot will only widen. Addressing this crisis demands bold reforms, ethical responsibility, and global cooperation.

The time to act is now — before the next generation inherits a healthcare system where lifesaving medicine is out of reach for those who need it most.