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According to information from our colleagues at France Info, the government intends to make the individual distribution of certain antibiotics out of stock compulsory, as winter approaches. What drugs are currently in shortage in France? Doctissimo takes stock.
Towards the individual sale of certain antibiotics out of stock
Winter is almost here and so is the procession of illnesses that accompanies it. To limit drug shortages, the government wants to anticipate future shortages by asking pharmacists to sell antibiotic tablets individually.
“The single dispensation has not met with great success because it is difficult to implement. Making it compulsory does not take away any of its difficulties“puts Dr Gérald KIERZEK, emergency physician and medical director of Doctissimo into perspective”it requires the pharmacist to open the boxes, place the tablets in a bag, print the instructions… in a context of lack of staff at the pharmacy !”
In addition to this measure already possible since May 2022, which aims to limit unfinished treatment boxes, the Minister of Health Aurélien Rousseau announced a few days ago the possibility for pharmacies to deliver antibiotic treatment, after having done give the patient a test.
To avoid any shortage of amoxicillin, which remains the best-selling antibiotic in France, the government has just announced a 10% increase in its selling price, to encourage manufacturers to favor the French market.
Improve the industrial chain to avoid shortages
In parallel with these measures, the Ministry of the Economy is working to improve the industrial chain, because drug shortages are partly caused by problems with the delivery of raw materials and poor inventory management.
To fight against the phenomenon, the Minister of Industry Roland Lescure, in the columns of the Journal The echoesannounces that from now on, hospitals will be able, like manufacturers, to also manufacture preparations, whatever the drugs.
What medications are in short supply the most?
The National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products maintains on its website a table tracing the molecules that are missing in France. The main missing molecules are treatments usually used in hospitals, such as Xylocaine, in injectable solution, used in anesthesia, or even Striadyne or Actilyse used in the context of cardiovascular emergencies but not always.
For example, the Jext pen, 300 mg of adrenaline, used by certain allergy patients, is indicated as being out of stock since September 14. Amoxicillin, for its part, is still experiencing supply constraints.
“Antibiotics like Dalacin or painkillers like Lyrica are out of stock and can pose problems for patients” specifies Dr. Kierzek “but also for professionals in the event of replacement of injectable medications with a different dosage and risk of error“.
This is also the case for Dépakine Chrono 500 mg or Sabril to treat certain forms of epilepsy; of Concerta LP or Ritalin LP against Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or medications based on sustained release flecainide, used to improve the symptoms of heart rhythm disorders and for which the ANSM has published recommendations for doctors and pharmacists…