Bottleneck in medicines: pharmacist has tips for parents

Created: 01/10/2023, 09:00

Delivery problems: Fever suppositories and cough syrups for children are often out of stock, and other medicines can often not be delivered either.

Pharmacy spokesman Christopher Hummel explains the current situation.

© Annette Riedl

Medicines are still scarce - and of all things in the middle of a cold and flu epidemic.

In an interview, district pharmacy spokesman Christopher Hummel talks about the dilemma.

Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen – Respiratory diseases, flu and other viruses have been affecting people, especially children, in the district for weeks.

"I've never seen a wave like this before.

It's crazy," says the pharmacist and spokesman for the industry in the district, Christopher Hummel.

Now, of all times, medicines are scarce, not only locally, but also on the Internet.

According to the Federal Ministry of Health, pharmacists have been allowed to stock up on cough syrups, fever suppositories and the like since December 25, but they lack the necessary ingredients.

We spoke to Hummel about the dilemma.

Mr. Hummel, what is lacking at the moment?

Christopher Hummel:

Basically everything.

Banal things are not available or only available to a limited extent.

We hardly have herbal cough and fever syrups, fever suppositories, ibuprofen painkillers and antibiotics.

Last week, a woman from Holzkirchen came to my pharmacy in Gaißach after having checked out five other pharmacies.

The ear, nose and throat doctor had prescribed an antibiotic for her child to treat a purulent middle ear infection.

It was sheer luck that I had the remedy available as a juice, otherwise the little one would have had to be admitted to the clinic.

Many medicines are produced in China, India and overseas

Why is it that it is missing at every nook and cranny?

Christopher Hummel:

There are three reasons for this.

First, many medicines are produced in China, India and overseas.

They can't keep up there - especially in China, a lot of people can't go to work because of a Covid 19 disease - and the transport routes are long.

Germany and other European countries have outsourced far too much.

Secondly, the health insurance companies have concluded so-called discount agreements with individual companies that produce as cheaply as possible.

This is the case, for example, with paracetamol.

Other manufacturers have therefore withdrawn.

For the antibiotic amoxicillin, a penicillin derivative that is given to children with pneumonia and middle ear infections, there is only one producer in Kundl in Tyrol.

He is struggling with rising energy costs and has to raise prices.

The health insurance companies, however, do not want to pay more than before.

If the insurers continue to refuse, the few medicines go to England, which has paid any price since leaving the EU.

And what is the third reason?

Christopher Hummel:

Glass bottles and packaging material are missing, which is partly a result of the war in Ukraine.

The pharmacists lack the basics for the production

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has launched an offensive because all federal states are struggling with the same problems.

He would like the health insurance companies to pay more for children's medicines.

In the medium term, more medicines are to be manufactured in Germany again.

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Christopher Hummel:

Both are urgently needed.

There are also too many specifications and guidelines.

Politicians should listen much more to experts and practitioners like us.

Since the corona pandemic, we have been warning that we must break away from China.

The one who suffers is always the patient, the toddler who doesn't get a fever suppository and cries all night.

Since Christmas, pharmacists have also been able to mix together large quantities of cough and fever syrups themselves.

Is that a help?

Christopher Hummel:

It would be a great help.

Every pharmacist is trained to do this.

Appropriate laboratories are available.

But unfortunately the basics are missing.

Ibuprofen and juice bases are not available.

And if it does, I ask myself: who should do it?

Our employees are all busy with sales and advice at the moment, we owners have to take care of the procurement of medicines.

In order for our own production to be worthwhile, we would have to create 100 fever juices at once.

Nobody comes into the lab because of one.

I know from many colleagues that they put together what they can themselves at the weekend and during the emergency services.

We want to help.

But to be honest, the fees would then have to be adjusted.

Even during the pandemic, we worked overtime to produce disinfectants.

What Can Desperate Parents Do?

Christopher Hummel:

If you still have fever and painkillers at home, you can cut them into quarters or eighths, crush them into small pieces and give them with apple or banana puree so that the children don't notice the bitter taste.

In an emergency, parents should take their child to the hospital.

There are medicines there.

Exchanging old medicines like in the bazaar, as the President of the Medical Association initially suggested, is nonsense.

There are such strict regulations for storage and administration that you shouldn't take any risks.

Is there an improvement in the situation in sight?

Christopher Hummel:

The situation is easing a little right now.

We don't get overwhelmed like that anymore.

Just today I also received eight bottles of paracetamol juice.

I only sell one bottle at a time and ask all customers to only buy the rare medicines if they really need them.

In these times, nobody should hamster, but everyone should act in solidarity.

(valley)

You can find more current news from the region around Bad Tölz at Merkur.de/Bad Tölz.

You can find even more current news from the region around Wolfratshausen at Merkur.de/Wolfratshausen.