That there is a shortage of medicines in the country is not news, but what will the consequences be?
A new survey carried out by Verian on behalf of Apotek Hjärtat shows that the lack of medicines risks leading to interrupted treatment, something that worries the chief pharmacist Annika Svedberg.
– It is very worrying, she tells P4 Sjuhärad.
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Medicines run out for more than 4 out of 10
More than seven out of ten Swedes have picked up prescription medicines in the last 12 months, and almost half are said to have been aware that the prescription had run out when it was to be picked up. The reason for this has partly to do with increased demand for certain medicines, but also strict regulations at pharmacies.
– Sometimes only a certain strength of a drug has run out, and if we at the pharmacy had been given the opportunity to switch to another strength and adjust the dose so that it would still be correct, but today, in the regulations governing pharmacies, we are not allowed to carry out a such a change, but then we need to refer back to the doctor, says Annika Svedberg P4 Seven-way.
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High risk of interrupted treatment
The people whose medication ran out stated that they were referred to another pharmacy or offered to pick up another medication with the same active substance. But more than one in five people chose instead to pause the medication while waiting for the drug to become available again.
Annika Svedberg tells The ICA group that pharmacies work to prevent shortage situations and are currently taking a series of measures to secure access to prescription drugs. Work is also underway at the national level to improve the situation.
– Today there are ongoing discussions with the government, authorities and industry players about how the pharmacies should be given a greater mandate to solve even more situations when medicines are not available, she says to the ICA group.
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