Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Medicines Shortages and Other Measures) Bill 2026

Summary

This amendment to the Therapeutic Goods Act gives the regulator (the TGA) new powers to manage shortages of medicines and medical devices when supply problems threaten public health. It likely allows the TGA to speed up approvals, temporarily permit substitute products, or direct manufacturers to prioritise Australian supply during crisis situations. The change addresses a real-world problem: when critical medicines become hard to find, patients can't get the treatments they need, and hospitals and doctors face impossible choices about who gets limited stock. By giving regulators faster, more flexible tools to respond to shortages, this aims to keep essential medicines available without waiting months for normal approval processes.