Concerns are growing regarding potential shortages of medical consumables in German hospitals over the coming months. According to “Der Spiegel”, the medical wholesaler Medika reports facing increasingly difficult negotiations when speaking with manufacturers in China. Furthermore, delivery promises are now often conditioned or provisional. Orders are sometimes accepted only partially, and goods frequently arrive only in designated quantities, meaning that ordering more does not guarantee receiving more.
While the current situation in clinics is reportedly stable-partly because many supplies were secured through contracts in the past-the situation could become critical if new orders are needed starting by June. Matthias Voth, the general manager, warned that this could lead to a return to centralized allocations, similar to what occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As an example of current stability, the Harzklinikum, a municipal hospital operating in Quedlinburg, Wernigerode, and Blankenburg, still reports adequate stocks of disposable gloves, protective gowns, operating room gowns, non-woven fabrics, and drainage systems. Most of these supplies were contractually secured as far back as autumn 2025.