Drug shortages
Lauterbach appeals to parents when it comes to children’s medication: “Please don’t buy hamsters”
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) explains at a press conference what he wants to do about shortages of children’s medicines
© Britta Pedersen / DPA
Medicines such as cough and flu syrups for children are in short supply in Germany. Health Minister Lauterbach has plans to change that. But are the measures sufficient for more medication?
In order to avoid further shortages of children’s medicines, production should be increased to the technical limit. “We will do everything we can this fall and winter to make sure kids have the ones they need get medicines,” said Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) on Thursday after a top-level meeting on the topic in Berlin. The associations concerned welcomed the initiative, but at the same time called for further measures.
Lauterbach invited representatives of doctors and pharmacists as well as pharmaceutical companies to the appointment. Although further bottlenecks cannot be completely ruled out, Lauterbach said after the conversation – but “we are significantly better positioned than last year”. The minister emphasized that this is due to the willingness of the pharmaceutical industry to produce more.
The production of painkillers, antibiotics and fever syrups has increased by up to 100 percent compared to last winter, he said. This was only successful because companies were prepared to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week – in three shifts.
“We are at the technical upper limits of what is affordable,” said Lauterbach. At the same time, he appealed to parents: “Please don’t panic buy.” This is “the order of the day”. A small home supply of medicines makes sense, but hoarding them does not.
Pharmacies are allowed to produce medicines themselves
The SPD politician announced more powers for pharmacies as a further step to ease the supply situation. “We are putting a lot of responsibility in the hands of the pharmacists,” he said. They could now independently change the dosage forms of the medication and produce products themselves – without consulting doctors and without a new prescription.
Lauterbach also announced that he had founded a “high-level group” in his ministry. The committee, which is made up of representatives from doctors and pharmacists as well as pharmaceutical companies, should exchange views on a weekly basis and provide Lauterbach with a status report on the supply of children’s medicines.
Associations are calling for more measures
If the infection rate is normal, manufacturers should have enough goods in the coming months, said the chairman of the Pro Generika drug association, Andreas Burkhardt, after the meeting. However, there are still very few manufacturers who have to handle the production of children’s medicines. “They don’t change the basic problem,” added Burkhardt. He therefore called on politicians to change the structures – and to remain in dialogue with the pharmaceutical industry.
The President of the German Society for Child and Adolescent Medicine, Jörg Dötsch, spoke of a “more favorable starting situation” compared to last year. This is “important news for families, parents and children”. However, further measures are necessary to ensure the long-term supply of children and young people with medication. “That’s why we’re not stopping at this point,” he emphasized.
The Federal Association of German Pharmacists Associations (ABDA) welcomed the expansion of the powers of pharmacists promised by Lauterbach: “In order to react flexibly to delivery bottlenecks, our pharmacy teams need maximum freedom to make decisions,” explained association president Gabriele Regina Overwiening. However, it must be ensured that these freedoms can also be used.
Law against delivery bottlenecks could soon come into effect
Lauterbach recently called on pharmaceutical wholesalers to stock up on medicines for children, citing a “tense supply situation”. The pediatricians’ association had previously warned of an increased shortage of medicines in the autumn and winter.
According to its own information, the association does not expect that a law passed by the Bundestag in June against supply bottlenecks for medicines will have an effect this year. This should reduce the cost pressure on pharmaceutical manufacturers so that selling the drugs in Germany becomes more profitable.