Reliable medical supply chains are a cornerstone of resilient health systems. Supply chains, in the context of this report, refer to the flows of goods and services needed from production to distribution, and ultimately to final consumption (or use) of a medical product – medicine or medical device – by patients, health professionals or healthcare institutions. Each product supply chain is unique, as products are often made up of many different components sourced and produced across different sites and countries and involving many stakeholders. A supply chain failure occurs when supply cannot meet demand for a product marketed in a given country. Shortages of medicines were common and increasing in frequency prior to the COVID‑19 pandemic, the latter generating specific challenges for a range of medical products. Medical product shortages can have major implications on health and societies – e.g. delayed treatment and diagnoses, strain on already stretched healthcare systems, increased healthcare costs, loss of productivity, to name a few. Their proliferation has drawn policy attention and prompted calls for action to strengthen medical supply chains – both routinely and in anticipation of the next health crisis.