Apparently there are far too few antibiotics for patients in Germany.
“The situation is catastrophic,” said the President of the Federal Union of German Pharmacists’ Associations, Regina Overwiening, the “Bild” newspaper (Thursday). It is becoming increasingly difficult to care for patients – “and that in a country that was once the world’s pharmacy”.
In the case of diseases that are normally easy to treat, such as scarlet fever, reserve antibiotics must sometimes be used, which are actually only used in exceptional cases. According to the Berlin Chamber, there is no end to the shortage in sight.
Bavaria sets up “Task Force Drug Supply”.
Peter Stahl, Chamber President in Rhineland-Palatinate, told the newspaper: “It feels like every second prescription is now a problem.” Chamber boss Carsten Wohlfeil (Saarland) reported that many patients had to travel long distances to find a pharmacy with the necessary medicine to find.
It is high time that Minister Lauterbach resolutely combated the shortage of medicines.
Tino Sorge, CDU health expert
Bavaria has set up a “Task Force Drug Supply” to deal with the ongoing supply bottlenecks. Alexander von Waldenfels (Bavarian Chamber of Pharmacists) complained about “supply bottlenecks in antibiotic juices for all active ingredients”.
CDU criticizes Health Minister Lauterbach
A spokesman for the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, which reports to the Ministry of Health, emphasized that there are first signs of a stabilization in the availability of antibiotics at European level.
Criticism comes from the opposition. For the CDU health expert Tino Sorge, one thing is certain: “Now the years of being forced to save on medication are taking revenge, but above all the waiting for Health Minister Lauterbach.”
The SPD minister could have introduced an early warning system for delivery bottlenecks long ago.
“It is high time that Minister Lauterbach resolutely combated the shortage of medicines,” said Sorge. “So far only vague ideas have been circulating, the patients are still left out in the rain.” (KNA)
