BEUC NEWS - 01.02.2022

Surveys by consumer groups in five European countries have shown that people have real difficulties in getting the medicines they need because of shortages¹. Medicine scarcities are affecting large numbers of people and are often for treating serious conditions such as depression, cardiovascular problems, or infections.

Against the backdrop of an increase in the number of notifications made to authorities about medicine shortages, these survey results take on additional significance. In France, medicine shortage notifications have shot up 20-fold,² while in Spain they have multiplied by 12 in a decade.³

Between a fifth and almost half of respondents to the consumer surveys had experienced a medicine shortage once in the two years preceding the survey, either for themselves or for somebody in their household. Almost one in three people who had experienced a medicine shortage had suffered resulting health complications.

Pharmacies provided different reasons for the shortages, ranging from high demand for the medicine, logistical or supply problems, to shortages of an active substance or market withdrawal of the medicine.

Read the factsheet

BEUC urges the EU to take stock of this worrying situation and recommends that its pharmaceutical legislation later this year:

• Requires pharmaceutical companies to submit drug shortage prevention plans, to identify risks of shortages.
• Strengthens sanctions for companies that do not ensure appropriate and continued supplies of the product, as required by law.
• Enables consumer reporting to competent authorities, so there is better understanding of the health and societal impact and improved drug shortage management. 

To read our factsheet that summarises these survey results, click here.

ENDS

¹ The surveys were carried out in November 2020 by Test Achats/Test Aankoop (Belgium), Altroconsumo (Italy), DECO (Portugal), OCU (Spain) and Forbrukerrådet (Norway) in December 2019.
² French Health Ministry press release, ‘Lutter contre les pénuries et améliorer la disponibilité des médicaments en France’ (8 July 2019).
³ OCU press release, ‘OCU alerta del desabastecimiento de medicamentos’ (13 Feb 2020).