German pediatricians warn over children’s medicine shortages
-
Loading... - Morken Brandt
- 07 Jun 2023
- 193 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
The German Association of Pediatricians (DGKJ), representing the field of youth medicine, has expressed a critical shortage of essential medications specifically formulated for children, such as penicillin, as well as pain and fever relievers.
This predicament is not confined to Germany alone but also affects several other European nations. In a recent open letter, pediatricians from Germany, Austria, France, and Switzerland have jointly appealed to their respective health ministries, urging immediate action to address the scarcity of medicines designed for children.
Emphasizing the urgent need for a prompt, dependable, and sustainable solution, the doctors underscored the grave risks posed to the health of children and adolescents across Europe due to the lack of essential medications.
Pharmacies and clinics are currently facing shortages in a wide range of medicines, with the most severe deficits observed in fever and pain relievers, as well as penicillin. Additionally, there are scarcities in cough medicine, anti-depressants, and other medications.
Remarkably, approximately 68% of the active production sites for these medicines are located in Asia. In light of this, German doctors are advocating for the relocation of critical segments of the supply chain back to Europe. This becomes especially crucial considering the shipping bottlenecks resulting from China's Zero Covid policy earlier this year.
Furthermore, the reimbursement rates provided by German health insurances for certain pain medications, including Paracetamol, have remained stagnant despite soaring production costs. Consequently, this puts additional strain on manufacturers.
In order to address the shortage effectively, German pediatricians are urging for a collective effort among European countries to undertake large-scale procurement of key medicines. This collaborative approach, akin to the joint vaccine procurement during the Covid-19 pandemic, would help alleviate the current crisis.
