Sometimes fever syrups are missing, on other days certain antibiotics. Since the Corona pandemic, there have been increasing supply bottlenecks of medicines. Kathrin Luboldt, Vice President of the North Rhine Chamber of Pharmacists , explains why in an interview.

Ms. Luboldt, you yourself are the owner of the Damian Pharmacy in Dinslaken. How present is the topic of supply bottlenecks in your everyday life?

Luboldt: Unfortunately, very present. Not a day goes by when we don’t have to deal with supply bottlenecks several times. This has long since applied not only to rare preparations, but also to standard medications such as thyroid preparations, blood pressure preparations and psychotropic drugs. For local pharmacies, this means an enormous additional effort, and for patients often uncertainty and waiting time until alternatives can be found and clarified.

Why is that? Many people do not understand why a country as wealthy as Germany does not get enough medicines.

Luboldt: The causes are complex. A central point is the global dependence on a few production sites, especially in Asia. If a factory fails there or political tensions arise, we feel it immediately. There are also logistical problems, for example when raw materials become scarce or transport routes are disrupted. Therefore, the war in Iran could also lead to new supply bottlenecks.

Is it only due to globalization?

Luboldt: No, there are also homemade reasons. For many medicines that no longer have patent protection, health insurance companies have been concluding discount agreements with the cheapest providers for many years. These are mostly companies from Asia. German manufacturers can no longer keep up with this price dumping. For them, production is no longer worthwhile. And over the years, more and more factories are being closed in this country. Likewise, the dumping prices in Germany mean that manufacturers prefer to sell their medicines to other European countries.

Can you give an example of this?

Luboldt: When fever syrups for children were scarce in Germany, there was a sufficient supply in the Czech Republic, for example. The manufacturers there simply got more money for their medicines. In Germany, we simply have to ask ourselves how much we want to pay for medicines. If a pack of antibiotics costs just as much as chewing gum in Germany, one should not be surprised if too little of it arrives here.

How do your patients react to this?

Luboldt: Most of them are understanding, but of course frustrated. It is particularly difficult for parents whose children urgently need medication or for chronically ill people who are on a certain preparation. We then try to find alternatives, but it’s not always easy.

How much extra work does this create for your team?

Luboldt: A lot. We call doctors’ offices every day to coordinate substitute preparations. In some cases, when practices are difficult to reach by phone and the patient himself is restricted, we even have to send a messenger there. We also check availability at wholesalers, document exceptions and advise patients more intensively. This costs time that we lack elsewhere. Many colleagues find this an enormous burden. And the additional effort is also not sufficiently rewarded financially. The local pharmacies pay extra for every supply bottleneck.

What do you think would have to change for the situation to improve?

Luboldt: We need broader production in Europe, even if it is more expensive. In addition, economic incentives should be created so that manufacturers do not remove important medicines from their range. And we pharmacies need more room for manoeuvre in order to be able to switch to alternatives more quickly in the event of bottlenecks without overcoming bureaucratic hurdles every time.

What can patients do?

Luboldt: Chronically ill people in particular can take preventive measures. Many need the same medication over and over again. If they notice that they are running low, I recommend not waiting until the last tablet, but getting the prescription two weeks in advance. With sufficient lead time, local pharmacies can usually always provide patients with sufficient care.

Do you have the feeling that politicians are taking the problem seriously enough?

Luboldt: There is movement, but many things are moving too slowly. Supply bottlenecks are not a short-term phenomenon, but a structural problem. If we do not fundamentally rethink, the situation will continue to worsen.

What do you wish for the future?

Luboldt: That we can provide reliable care again. For us, helping people is a core part of our job. When we have to tell them, “I’m sorry, the drug is out of stock,” it’s frustrating. I hope that we will soon have more stability in the system again.

The questions were asked by the AKNR

Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

Gender Notice. The personal designations used in this text always refer equally to female, male and diverse persons. Double/triple naming and gendered designations are used for better readability. ected.