Medicines shortages: What is causing it?

There are serious shortages of medicines in 25 EU countries. The shortage in Bulgaria has started since the beginning of December. Which medicines are unavailable and how will the problem be solved - the topic was commented on January 9 in BNT morning programme by Nikolai Kostov, Chairman of the Association of Pharmacy Owners and Bogdan Kirilov - Executive Director of the Medicines Agency.

"Pharmacies are running out of antibiotics, especially for children. Antibiotics for adults are also difficult to find and it is getting worse over time. There are also hundreds of medicines that are unavailable, but this is not from now," Nikolai Kostov explained, adding that there is a shortage of more than 300 medicines.

There are currently difficulties in the supply of some antibiotics and inhalators that are used for treatment of respiratory diseases, Bogdan Kirilov said.

"A system that tracks shortages was developed by the Ministry of Health and transferred to the Medicines Agency. It is unique of its kind, for the health care system. It has almost no analogue in other European countries and it really makes sense. However, the system does not work effectively and law changes need to be made," Kirilov said.

He explained that the system includes 63 products that form an export ban list. The products that are on this list do not correspond to the signals that are received by the Ministry of Health and the Medicines Agency. The system tracks the various transactions between wholesalers, pharmacies and holders of authorisations for use.

Checks are made on the stocks at wholesalers, and there are also instructions to prioritise the allocation of the quantities available at wholesalers to pharmacies, Kirillov said.

He also added that emergency supplies of antibiotics are expected as early as this week and the shortage will be compensated gradually within a month.

"This week we start deliveries of some of the medicines, in suspension form, for children, from the group of cephalosporins. Supplies of penicillins start nrxt week. So, there is an assurance from the manufacturers that within the month and the beginning of the next month there will be sufficient quantities to compensate for what is currently a shortage," explained Bogdan Kirilov.