Like every year, there are numerous drug shortages, but this year the government would like to ration pharmacies so as not to suffer a stock shortage, particularly for antibiotics. A decision that does not suit the pharmacies in question.
With the arrival of winter and all its little ailments, colds, flu, covid-19, and other little hassles, pharmacies must be ready to provide the necessary medications and antibiotics. Even if we know that antibiotics are not automatic, especially in the context of viral infections, certain diseases of bacterial origin, for example, require them to be taken! At the start of 2023, the government already had to face a shortage of amoxicillin, a situation which led to reflection on the sale of certain drugs individually, as is done in the United States, for example. .
Information which was transmitted to our colleagues atActu.fr by the General Directorate of Health. But what will this cause and how will it help deal with the numerous drug shortages? Concretely, pharmacies will have to sell the antibiotics concerned tablet by tablet and put them in a specific container according to the prescription sent by the doctor. No more question of delivering complete boxes. A measure which already exists on certain types of medicines and which could become general for all antibiotics.
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A measure integrated into the 2024 Social Security bill
As specified by the DGS (General Directorate of Health), this measure is integrated into the 2024 Social Security financing bill and would aim to relieve the tight flow of certain antibiotics such as amoxicillin, Dalacin (cardiac infections ) and Furadantin (urinary infections) as well as their derivatives. However, on the pharmacists’ side, this measure does not resonate, as Cyril Colombani, spokesperson for the Union of Community Pharmacists’ Unions, reveals: ” That’s a very bad idea» he declares forActu.fr. Indeed, for the pharmacist the question of the implementation of this law will also pose a problem: “In the pediatric forms, these are multidose vials. You cannot take a pipette to put the liquid into another container.»
A situation that he also reports on medicines delivered in the form of boxes: “The boxes are made to have the necessary and exact quantity of a medication, according to the dosages established by the High Authority for Health (HAS)“. Indeed, although some doctors adjust their prescriptions, in general and in 90% of cases, the dosages follow the HAS recommendations. He also adds that this would be detrimental to the traceability of medicines in the event of serious side effects since the serial number of the box concerned would no longer be available.
However, the DGS affirms that there would be an overstock of unused medicines in households: “In 2022, the Cyclamed sector indicates having collected 9,415 tonnes of stock of unused medicines.» Information that the spokesperson takes with a pinch of salt: “It is not the problem of the pharmacist to give six tablets too many, but of people who do not take their medication.» It remains to be seen whether the measure will be confirmed in the coming months.
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