More than 700 relevant medications are to be stored for the Austria-wide needs of four months. A corresponding stockpiling regulation was sent to the EU today, Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) reported on Tuesday afternoon. An active ingredients warehouse was also set up so that medicines could be manufactured in pharmacies.
Before the commitment to the pharmaceutical industry can come into force, it must be brought to the attention of the European Commission. However, the relevant medicines must already be stored and available to the population for the next winter season, explained the Ministry of Health.
Antibiotics and painkillers
The warehouse for critical medicines mainly includes common antibiotics as well as fever-reducing and strong painkillers, reported Andreas Windischbauer, President of the Association of Austrian Pharmaceutical Wholesalers (PHAGO). There will be “a lot of packs” of more than 700 products for four months; he couldn’t give exact numbers, he said after a smoke-filled tour of the warehouse of a pharmaceutical wholesaler in Vienna-Simmering.
In addition to finished medications, there is now also paracetamol in 25-kilo barrels. Overall, however, there are “amounts in the active ingredient warehouse that are not extremely large,” said Windischbauer. Even in pharmacies there is only as much as they can process, “no excess quantities,” he emphasized. “The active ingredient warehouse is like insurance. We’re doing everything we can to ensure we don’t need it.” If there is a shortage of certain medications, they can be made from the active ingredients in the pharmacy, such as medicines for children.
Dependence on other countries
The EU is in a “competitive situation” with other regions, explained Rauch. There has been criticism of Austria’s high dependence on Russian gas. When it comes to individual active ingredients for medicines, Europe is even more dependent on other countries – up to 90 percent. Austria “couldn’t wait until a European solution came about,” emphasized Rauch. Parents shouldn’t have to wait to get antibiotic juice for their children again.
In phases of high demand, pharmacies can access the stored active ingredients and ensure that the population is supplied with self-made medicines, explained the Health Minister. The work rate for the so-called magistral preparation was increased by an average of 50 percent on January 1st. According to Rauch, increased personnel and production costs are “reimbursed in the best possible way and the extemporaneous preparation is simplified”.
“Situation will remain difficult”
“I can guarantee that the situation will remain difficult,” said Windischbauer when asked about the Europe-wide supply bottlenecks for medicines last winter. He referred to the continued great dependence on Asia. That’s why the focus is initially on active ingredient stockpiling and transparency. “In the long term, we need a European solution that protects all member states equally. I will continue to demand this in Brussels,” emphasized Rauch.
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