Drug shortage in Hesse: Pharmacies sound the alarm!

Drug shortage in Hesse: Pharmacies sound the alarm!

There are worrying developments in the area of ​​drug supply in Hesse. Loud hessenschau.de Delivery bottlenecks for many medications are similar to those observed nationwide. The situation is not new, but it appears to be getting worse.

Standard antibiotics, common and stronger pain medications, special preparations for ADHD, simple medications for type 1 diabetics, blood pressure medications and cholesterol-lowering drugs are particularly affected. Holger Seyfarth, the chairman of the Hessian Pharmacists' Association, emphasizes that the situation has been tense for years: "Almost every indication group is missing a medication somewhere." Meanwhile, many pharmacies are often forced to put off their customers because the medicines they want are simply not in stock. The effort involved in ordering the necessary medication is enormous.

The causes of the bottlenecks

The problems in the supply of medicines cannot only be identified locally. Thomas Preis, President of the Federal Association of German Pharmacists Associations, also warns of the dangers posed by the current situation. More than 500 medications are now officially classified as difficult to obtain, although there is already an estimated “supply shortage” for some. Germany's dependence on production sites outside of Europe significantly increases the difficulties.

Germany used to be considered the “pharmacy of the world”, but today important production facilities are located in countries such as China and India. Production problems in these countries have a direct impact on the supply of medicines in Germany and other European countries. This is also proven by a current warning from pharmacies: “The situation in many hospitals is alarming,” say voices from the industry.

The situation in the pharmacies

It should be particularly emphasized that the affected patients as well as the pharmacies and doctors are the ones who suffer from these bottlenecks. While the all-clear can be given for everyday fever and cold remedies as well as cough syrups, other medicines are struggling with serious delivery problems. ZDFheute highlights that medications such as antibiotic juices for children or the asthma drug salbutamol are particularly affected.

In order to counteract the crisis, the Bundestag passed a law in June 2023 to prevent supply bottlenecks. This is intended to reduce cost pressure on pharmaceutical manufacturers and make the sale of medicines in Germany more attractive. Price rules for children's medicines are to be relaxed and discount agreements may be abolished.

The current situation is not only a challenge for pharmacies, but also affects each and every one of us. A good knack for medication management could be urgently needed in the coming months!