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The aim of this article is to describe and analyze the principal aspects of a phenomenon that periodically affects medicines and medical devices all around the world in all contexts of the hospitals and the community, i.e. their shortage. Recently in Italy there has been a prolonged shortage of some medicines such as antibiotics, symptomatic remedies for fever and pain, pediatric medicines and inhalers but the phenomenon is not rare. We want to analyze some causal aspects, the principal practical consequences and also some possible strategies to remedy the problem. Technical pharmacological aspects of the individual classes of drugs mentioned will not be taken into consideration.