Kuala Lampur, May 19 -- Governments have built vast bureaucracies and spent trillions of dollars ensuring that a disruption to energy supplies doesn't plunge their populations into darkness, or that a drought doesn't lead to famine. We have accepted the premise that food, water, and energy sovereignty are the bedrock of a stable nation.

Yet, as we witness the volatility of the Gulf region - we are forced to confront a stark reality: a nation can have full bellies and illuminated streets, yet still be just one broken supply chain away from catastrophe. The recent international conference on pharmacy at UCSI University pulled the fire alarm on a crisis that has, for too long, been ignored: medicine security.

For a vast number of countries...