Brussels draft plans to avoid EU pharmaceutical shortages

euronews (in English)

The European Commission presented a series of measures Tuesday to prevent future drug shortages, including the immediate launch of a voluntary EU-wide solidarity mechanism for medicines.

Transcript

00:00 As winter approaches, European pharmacies are once again facing drug shortages.

00:07 Every day, pharmacists in Brussels move heaven and earth to find a solution for patients.

00:15 Every day, we have to do research to ensure patient follow-up.

00:22 We try to find alternatives when we can, we try to help each other if possible.

00:28 In the most complicated cases, we have to say no, we have to send the patient to the doctor

00:34 so that he can change the treatment if necessary.

00:36 Last year, France`s medicine safety agency recorded over 3,700 reports of stockouts or risks of stockouts.

00:45 Press by member states, the European Commission on Tuesday presented a series of measures to avoid future shortages.

00:53 It`s proposing the immediate launch of a voluntary European solidarity mechanism for medicines.

01:01 For this winter, we`re immediately setting up a new voluntary solidarity mechanism.

01:10 This will enable any member state facing shortages to seek support from other member states

01:17 who may be able to share medicines if they have a sufficient supply.

01:21 The commission also intends to draw up a list of critical medicines by the end of the year.

01:27 It`s a document that consumer protection organizations consider particularly important.

01:34 It will be a useful tool because it will include - I mean, it should include also medicines that meet priority health care needs.

01:41 And it will facilitate that then the authorities can focus a bit more on these medicines,

01:45 can analyze the supply chain, can identify vulnerabilities, can introduce measures to tackle those vulnerabilities,

01:52 but also the ideas to have a bit more cooperation and reinforce cooperation on these critical medicines

01:57 and all these are measures that we value positively.

01:59 In the long term, the commission proposes to diversify its global supply chains through international partnerships with third countries.

02:07 Finally, it also wants to strengthen production capacities in the manufacturing of critical drugs and active ingredients.

02:15 However, it`s being careful not to talk about the reindustrialization of the sector on the continent.

02:22 [Sound effects]

02:27 (whooshing)

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