Still no info about Europe, or South America, Asia, etc. In Britain, demand for an investigation:

• The Pharmaceutical Journal 2010; 284:41 (UK)

In mid-November, 2009, 10 major players in the medicines supply chain and the Department of Health issued joint guidance reminding stakeholders of their legal and ethical obligations to meet the medication needs of UK patients.
From the patient’s perspective, stock shortages are not just an economic matter. Out-of-stock medicines can lead, at best, to increased visits to pharmacies to complete the supply and, at worst, to increased adverse reactions. The PSNC quotes US research that finds that when alternatives are prescribed this can cause confusion and decrease compliance.

Taking the issue to a national level, the PSNC has also asked the Department of Health to impose information requirements on branded medicines manufacturers to support the ongoing monitoring of supply problems and has recommended that it should institute a review in conjunction with manufacturers, distributors and community pharmacy to consider what measures can be put in place to address supply issues.
It will be using evidence supplied by contractors of supply issues linked to changes in manufacturers’ distribution arrangements to support this. The Society, meanwhile, has written to the Secretary of State demanding a public inquiry.
.... it is still the view of the BAPW that there is a fundamental fragility in the supply chain, caused by a combination of factors, including just-in-time ordering, which has reduced the amount of buffer stock in the system, a reduction in the number of full line wholesalers, and a rise in the number of entrepreneurs in tune with foreign currency exchange rates.
He describes the medicines shortages that pharmacies see today — and which they may still see tomorrow — “as the price paid for the efficiencies that have resulted in cost savings for the NHS”.