Germany’s Pharmacies Worry about Shortages of Medicines
The head of the North Rhine Apothekerverband, Thomas Preis, told the “Rheinische Post” that for seven active ingredients, a worrying shortage of supply has persisted since the last year and continues to do so. These essential medicines include salt solutions, antibiotic syrups for children, inhaled salbutamol for asthma, and folinic acid used in cancer therapy. This situation has never been seen before, Preis said, adding, “We have never started a new year so poorly.”
According to Preis, a shortage is only recognized when the authorities assess the supply of the affected patients as very critical. Unfortunately, dangerous shortage situations are increasing from year to year.
The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) confirmed the report, stating that seven notifications have been published under Section 79, Paragraph 5 of the German Medicines Act regarding the supply shortages of the active ingredients fosfomycin, diamorphine, sodium chloride, sodium perchlorate, antibiotic syrups for children, salbutamol, and folinic acid. The BfArM intensively monitors and observes the supply situation in each individual case, and a notification of a critical supply situation usually leads to a significant stabilization of the supply situation due to the measures that can be taken as a result.
A supply shortage is more serious than a delivery delay. Currently, the BfArM is reporting 448 delivery delay notifications, which is less than in the fall, the spokesperson said. The Apothekerverbandschef stated that since over two years, hundreds of medicines have not been available – “the measures of the coalition government have had almost no effect”, said Thomas Preis.