Three young South African AIDS patients recently missed essential doses of their antiretroviral drugs after the supplier, Merck Sharp & Dohme ran out of stocks. The pharmaceutical giant ran out of its 50 mg tablet of Efavirenz, or Stocrin, one of the principle AIDS medicines for children aged three and older. A serious consequence of such shortages is that resistance to the particular drug can develop if patients interrupt their treatment. Furthermore, irregular drug supplies could jeopardise the government's imminent roll-out of an HIV and AIDS treatment plan.