From antibiotics to cardiovascular and respiratory drugs, shortages of most medicines continue. This is certified by the annual report dedicated to the phenomenon, drawn up by the European Association of Pharmacies and Pharmacists (PGEU), which for 2023 describes a situation that has worsened compared to previous years. In the Netherlands alone, 2,292 shortages were recorded last year, affecting around 5 million people. Other countries such as Sweden, Portugal and Spain have seen a significant increase in the number of shortages.
In 2023 – emerges from the report – each EU pharmacy dedicated on average almost 10 hours per week to deal with shortages, precious time that could be dedicated to other tasks such as providing advice to patients on the safe and effective use of medicines. Pharmacies are struggling even more, because the lack of supplies has been compounded by the shortage of healthcare personnel. “Although pharmacists continue to work hard to find solutions – comments Aris Prins, president of PGEU – the shortages still leave many patients without the prescribed therapy. This situation causes frustration and discomfort in many patients and undermines their trust in pharmacists and in the healthcare system They also cause stress for pharmacy staff and place an additional administrative burden on their daily work at the counter.”
According to the European Pharmacists' Association, the reform of EU pharmaceutical legislation “represents a unique opportunity to build a more resilient supply chain and improve the prevention, monitoring and management of shortages”, underlines Prins. “However – he urges – we need immediate measures to address this chronic problem and reverse the trend, which pharmacists have been reporting for over a decade. We ask for timely notification of shortages, more timely information to pharmacists and a more equitable redistribution of medicines between countries”, says the president of the Pgue.
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