Supply of medicines is closely associated with people’s health and benefits. It is the important part of the goal of ensuring people’s well-being. Even though China has already taken several actions that consist of consigning certain manufacturers to produce medicines at a great risk of stock-outs, currently China still faces a series of challenges including insufficient supply of API, pediatric medicines as well as some medicines of little use but great medical necessity. A few developed countries(eg. United States and Supply of medicines is closely associated with people’s health and benefits. It is the important part of the goal of ensuring people’s well-being. Even though China has already taken several actions that consist of consigning certain manufacturers to produce medicines at a great risk of stock-outs, currently China still faces a series of challenges including insufficient supply of API, pediatric medicines as well as some medicines of little use but great medical necessity. A few countries (eg. United States and Canada) have introduced sound policies for management of medicine shortage. By learning from international experience, we should clarify the definition of medicine shortage, enhance management of unavailable medicines, propose policy recommendations to solve the problem, and improve guarantee system for pharmaceutical supply gradually.