The coronavirus health crisis has highlighted a growing problem: shortages of medicines and medical equipment that put patients at risk and national health systems under pressure.
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In April 2020, the European University Hospital Alliance warned that rising demand in intensive care units for certain anaesthetics, antibiotics, muscle relaxants and medicines used in a way they were not originally approved for to treat Covid-19 could mean stocks run out.
Decreased production, logistical problems, export bans and stockpiling due to the health crisis further increased the risk of bottlenecks.
On 14 July, Parliament’s environment and publich health committee adopted a report calling for European health “independence†by securing supplies, restoring local drug manufacturing and ensuring better EU coordination of national health strategies.
Between 2000 and 2018, shortages in the EU increased 20-fold and according to a note by the European Commission are rising for widely used essential products.
The reasons are complex, ranging from manufacturing problems, industry quotas, legal parallel trade and unexpected peaks in demand following epidemics or natural disasters to pricing, which is decided at national level.
The EU is increasingly dependent on non-EU countries - mainly India and China - when it comes to the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients, chemical raw materials and medicines.
The geopolitical dimension of medicine shortages
- 80% of active pharmaceutical ingredients are sourced from India and China
- 40% of finished medicines sold in Europe come from China and India
- China and India produce 60% of the world’s paracetamol, 90% of its penicillin and 50% of its ibuprofen
What solutions is Parliament proposing?
The report by the environment and public health committee identifies three areas for action:
- A return to EU independence, securing supplies of medicine and equipment
- Stronger EU coordination, complementing national measures to guarantee affordable and high-quality health services
- Closer cooperation between EU countries
EU pharmaceutical strategy
The report calls on the Commission to address the issue of medicine availability and accessibility and import dependency in the upcoming EU pharmaceutical strategy.
It is expected to propose measures to help improve and accelerate access to safe and affordable medicines, support innovation in the EU pharmaceutical industry, fill market gaps for exampled new antimicrobials and reduce direct dependence on raw materials from non-EU countries.
MEPs are expected to vote on the report during the September plenary session. ■