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Former pharmacy in the world, now delivery bottlenecks: Germany is struggling with a shortage of medicines

2022-12-06T12:27:39.059Z


Former pharmacy in the world, now delivery bottlenecks: Germany is struggling with a shortage of medicines Created: 2022-12-06 13:17 By: Markus Hofstetter In the past, Germany supplied the world with medicines, now pharmacies are complaining about delivery bottlenecks. The problem is even said to be growing. Bonn - The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) lists 300 reports o


Former pharmacy in the world, now delivery bottlenecks: Germany is struggling with a shortage of medicines

Created: 2022-12-06 13:17

By: Markus Hofstetter

In the past, Germany supplied the world with medicines, now pharmacies are complaining about delivery bottlenecks.

The problem is even said to be growing.

Bonn - The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) lists 300 reports of supply bottlenecks for drugs (accessed: December 6), with around 100,000 drugs approved in Germany.

In this situation, however, the authority currently sees “no indications of a general acute deterioration in the supply situation in Germany”.

There are alternatives for many scarce medicines.

A delivery bottleneck does not have to be a supply bottleneck at the same time, the authority clarifies.

There are currently only around ten reports on active ingredients that are critical to supply.

Bottlenecks in medicines in Germany: delivery deficits are expected to increase

Nevertheless, Germany's pharmacies complain about ongoing supply bottlenecks for a number of medicines.

These include fever syrups for children, gastric acid blockers, cough syrups and blood pressure medication.

The problems have increased in recent months, according to the chairman of the North Rhine pharmacists' association, Thomas Preis, to the German press agency.

"The situation is bad." For 2023 he even expects an increase in delivery deficits.

In Germany there is a supply bottleneck for many medicines.

(Icon image) © Dwi Anoraganingrum/imago

The Federal Union of German Associations of Pharmacists (ABDA) also gives little hope.

A representative of the association spoke of a "great challenge" that one has in view of the bottlenecks and that will remain in place for the foreseeable future.

The ABDA justified the tense situation with the cost pressure in the healthcare system.

To save money, manufacturers rely on production in Asia, said an ABDA spokesman.

If a batch fails there or the ship transport is delayed, this has consequences for the local offer.

"Germany used to be the world's pharmacy, today China and India are the world's pharmacy," summarizes Apotheker Preis.

Drug production in Germany: companies in this country are withdrawing from production

The association Pro Generika also complains about the cost pressure.

Manufacturers of generics, i.e. imitation products of drugs with the same active ingredient whose patent protection has expired, covered 78 percent of the drug requirements of the statutory health insurance companies.

Measured by what the insurers paid the companies for generics, Germany ranks at the lower end in a European comparison.

According to Pro Generika, producers of paracetamol fever juices receive EUR 1.36 per bottle.

However, the active ingredient had become 70 percent more expensive within a year.

"Rapidly increasing active ingredient and production costs with frozen prices make the production of medicines such as fever syrups a loss-making business," says Pro-Generika Managing Director Bork Bretthauer.

More and more manufacturers are withdrawing from production, such as the Bavarian company 1A Pharma.

In the meantime, with Teva and its drug brand Ratiopharm from Ulm, there is only one main supplier left.

Measures against delivery bottlenecks for medicines in Germany: relocation of production does not make sense

But what to do about drug supply bottlenecks?

Peter Goldschmidt, head of the generics manufacturer Stada, calls for the top three drug suppliers to be given the go-ahead in tenders instead of exclusive contracts.

That would strengthen supply chains.

However, Goldschmidt does not believe that relocating production from Asia to Europe would be helpful.

"The production facilities in India or China, from which we obtain goods, are checked according to European standards." In addition, there could also be failures and bottlenecks in Europe, while drug costs would rise.

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Pro Generika calls for the fixed amount for drug companies to be increased - it has been at the same level for ten years.

The association also refers to Great Britain.

If a generic drug is not available in pharmacies at the agreed price, the reimbursement price will be raised for a certain period of time.

In this way, companies could act more economically again.

Federal government wants to take action against delivery bottlenecks: GKV fears deadweight effects with higher prices

The federal government has recognized the problem.

She is planning to change the procurement law to counter the supply bottlenecks for medicines, as a spokesman for the Ministry of Health said on Monday (November 28) in Berlin.

The aim is to create supply chains more broadly so that the dependence on individual manufacturers decreases.

Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) had told the ARD capital studio with a view to the legislative plans that health insurance companies should no longer be forced to buy medicines and active ingredients where they are cheapest.

However, the statutory health insurance companies (GKV) question whether international corporations really change production processes just because higher prices are paid in Germany.

According to Florian Lanz, spokesman for the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds, a simple take-along effect would be fatal.

"So higher prices in Germany, higher profits in the pharmaceutical industry at the expense of the contributors, but the delivery of medicines is just as unreliable as it is today," he told the German Press Agency.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-12-06

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