Facts: Diabetes
Diabetes is not one but several different diseases with different causes. The common denominator is that the blood sugar is too high. Over 500,000 people have diabetes in Sweden today, of which 85–90 percent have type 2 diabetes, while approximately 10 percent live with type 1 diabetes. The number of people living with the disease is expected to increase in the future as more people get type 2 diabetes.
Source: Swedish Diabetes Association.
Many people with diabetes are dependent on one or more drugs. But in the past year, it has become more common for patients to be unable to retrieve the vital medications. This is shown by a survey conducted by the Swedish Diabetes Association.
— Many state that they had to travel several miles to get hold of their medicines. Others have had to switch to less effective drugs, which risks leading to complications over time, says Björn Ehlin, chairman of the Swedish Diabetes Association.
Troublesome to change
The association has carried out a survey which was answered by 3,400 of their members. Of these, around half state that they happened to have one or more of their medicines not available at the pharmacy. 14 percent have been affected by a medicine being back listed, i.e. it was neither available nor could be ordered.
Of those affected by residual notes, 40 percent have had to contact a doctor to get another medication prescribed. Something that can mean big worries.
— Sometimes a completely different treatment is required and then training in how to use it may be needed. It may take time to set the right dose and during that period you may experience side effects. It takes time from both the individual and the care, says Björn Ehlin.
One of those affected is Kent Olaisson. He is addicted to the drug Ozempic, which he injects once a week. Recently, he had to visit several different pharmacies before finding one four miles away that had what he needed.
— You feel dejected. I’m still fine with having my own car and being able to drive. Many people need to go to the municipality and may have to travel considerably further to find another pharmacy.
Prescribed for weight loss
The reasons why the medicines are missing vary. It is about production and delivery problems, but also about increased demand or that a preparation is prescribed for something other than what it is approved for. This creates problems not least for children because there are few medicines that are approved for them.
Björn Ehlin, chairman of the Swedish Diabetes Association, wants to see a national plan that shows why different drugs are prescribed so that those who need them the most can be prioritized.
According to Björn Ehlin, there are signals that Ozempic in particular, which has been delisted for a long time, is also prescribed for weight loss to people without diabetes. This makes the situation even more vulnerable for those who need the medicine.
— There are no national statistics on the reason why a particular drug is prescribed. We are calling for a national plan so that patients who really need a drug are prioritized when a shortage situation arises. As it is now, children risk being hit extra hard, he says.
Björn Ehlin urges everyone who is dependent on their medication to be outside in good time. But don’t hoard as it can worsen the deficiency. The National Board of Health and Welfare went out last week and recommended that those who need medicine continuously have a month’s supply at home.
“If there is a shortage of your medicine, you contact the healthcare system so that they can prescribe another medicine in good time,” he says.