There is a shortage of medicines around the country. People are turning to strangers on social media in search of fever relief, reports say Norrköping’s newspapers.
— We panicked, luckily there were many helpful people. But I don’t understand how there could have been a shortage for so long and that no one has picked up on it, says Almir Mrsic to the newspaper.
It is mainly a lack of antipyretic suppositories for children, soups, that has caused parents to turn to Facebook groups to see if anyone wants to sell the drug.
Increased demand
According to the Swedish Medicines Agency, the medicine has been listed on and off for just over a year.
“Several seasonal diseases circulated at the same time, which led to a greatly increased demand for these drugs,” says Samuel Silkestrand, investigator at the Swedish Medicines Agency.
The cause of the drug shortage is described as complex. According to the pharmaceutical companies, residual situations are mainly due to manufacturing-related factors such as production capacity and production planning. General reasons for the increase in residually notified medicines are due, among other things, to a global situation with a pandemic and war.
The Swedish Medicines Agency emphasizes that there are equivalents to the vast majority of medicines, but when it comes to soups, the alternatives are few.
— The medicine may be available for shorter periods but wears off quickly. Possible alternative medicines are available in liquid form or as orally disintegrating tablets.
Advises bunkering
Despite limited availability, the Swedish Medicines Agency advises against bunkering.
— Our attitude is that you should not buy more than you think will be used in the near term, partly because medicine should be enough for several people who need it, partly because it is unnecessary to have medicine at home that gets old and needs to be thrown away.
At present, the remaining listing extends until the end of June at the latest.
— Medicinal products may only be sold by those who have a sales permit and nowhere else, not least of which is to do with patient safety. That being said, it’s a problem when you can’t get hold of it. The recommendation is to go to a pharmacy and if that doesn’t work – get in touch with healthcare. Doctors may be able to prescribe other types of medication.