Europe: Warning of drug shortages worries citizens

Another European countries are currently suffering from a shortage of certain drugs, especially paracetamol and amoxicillin, a situation that creates problems for patients, which the authorities intend to respond without alarm.

Germany

German pharmacies and hospitals have long suffered from shortages of certain medicinesbut the situation has worsened since last summer, and the sector claims it has never been as critical as it is now.

Deficiency mainly affects children’s medicinessuch as antipyretics in the form of syrup or suppositories, but there is also a lack of antibiotics and even drugs that are prescribed to cancer patients.

The German Ministry of Health is preparing a bill to diversify drug purchases and reduce dependence on Asia, which will introduce import criteria other than price, such as security of supply.

Great Britain

British pharmacies have been running out of medicines for weeks now, especially syrups and lozenges to treat flu and cold symptoms, as well as the popular children’s medicine Calpol with paracetamol for colds and fevers in minors.

The United Kingdom Association of Independent Pharmacies (AIMP) on its website blames the drug shortage on “poor planning on the part of the government”, which, for its part, ensures that the supply problem is “temporary and localized”.

“We are talking with suppliers to find out and make sure that cold and flu medicines that are bought in pharmacies (over the counter) are still available,” a spokesman for the Ministry of Health says, while drug manufacturers say there is no production. Problems.

France

The French government assures that it has managed to find on the market sufficient batches of medicines that have been lacking in pharmacies in recent weeks, mainly paracetamol and amoxicillin, although it assures that it will take measures to prevent a situation of supply shortages. from repeating the same.

Among the tips that the executive has launched are stimulating domestic production, which will allow generic drug price increases to reduce dependence on foreigners, as well as ensuring the proper use of medicines, which includes prescribing some products by unit to avoid waste. .

Italy

In Italy, the Ministry of Health has set up a working group with the pharmaceutical sector to monitor shortages of drugs based on ibuprofen and indomethacin, as well as anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics and antibiotics.

Minister Horazio Squillaci said the situation is not alarming, since most of the 3,000 drugs in short supply can be replaced by generics, with the exception of about 300.

Italian pharmacists argue that supplies should be carefully controlled and Italian regions should act in concert and ask consumers not to stockpile medicines.

Spain

Spanish pharmacies found supply problems with 403 drugs in 2022, up 150 percent from a year earlier, especially for the nervous and cardiovascular systems, as well as a “very significant” way for children’s amoxicillin and some antidiabetic drugs.

According to the Information Center for Medicines Supply (CISMED), in almost 10,000 out of 22,000 Spanish pharmacies, they confirm an exponential increase in the number of cases or supply warnings, not shortages, last year, although the problem has dragged on for a long time. time.

However, experts are reassuring, because in nine cases out of ten, the pharmacist can replace the medicine with an equivalent alternative.

Belgium

About 400 medicines are currently unavailable in Belgium, including antibiotics, some brands of ibuprofen and paracetamol, as well as syrups, corticosteroids and aerosols.

The Belgian government recently published a law to limit the export of medicines in case of a shortage, which will apply to essential products for which there is no alternative.

Netherlands

Last year, the Dutch pharmacist organization KNMP reported 1,514 drug shortages in the Netherlands, including generic antibiotics such as amoxicillin, methylphenidate (ADHD), benzbromarone (for arthritis and chronic gout), oxytocin injection fluids, anxiolytics such as clobazam . and eye drops of chloramphenicol.

Dutch patient organizations, physicians and pharmacists sent a letter to the central government to express their concerns about the lack of generic drugs and reliance on raw materials and drug production from countries such as China and India.

To limit this drug shortage, a rule went into effect on January 1 requiring wholesalers and drug companies to maintain an “adequate stock” of drugs.

Portugal

Portugal is already feeling supply issues, and the government has announced that it is preparing a list of essential medicines prepared by experts to avoid shortages in pharmacies and ensure there is no “shortage of anything necessary,” according to the health minister. Health, Manuel Pizarro.

So far, the government has raised the price of the cheapest medicines by five percent (up to 10 euros) and by two percent for those that cost between 10 and 15 euros. (EFE)