Pandemic aftermath: shortage of medicines.- edited by Aishee Biswas

The shortage of essential drugs, including antibiotics and painkillers, during the COVID pandemic and winter season highlighted the challenges caused by declining manufacturing in Europe, intricate supply chains, and inadequate readiness for a worldwide public health crisis.

 

The scarcity of essential medications such as antibiotics and pain relievers during the recent winter season and the COVID pandemic brought to light several issues resulting from reduced manufacturing in Europe, intricate supply chains, and insufficient readiness for a worldwide public health crisis.

The proposed reforms create a conflict between the industry, which includes big pharma and biotech start-ups representing about 1.5% of the bloc's GDP, and patient groups. There is little agreement except for the necessity to update obsolete regulations. The Commission is planning to release a draft of the biggest overhaul of current medical laws in two decades on April 26th.

This move is welcomed by consumer groups who believe that pharmaceutical companies overstate costs to justify the high prices of drugs, especially after Brussels agreed to keep the terms of COVID vaccine contracts confidential at the request of drug manufacturers.

Various suggestions are being put forth to simplify  the operations of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) by consolidating scientific committees and shortening the review duration for new drugs.

Under the proposed reform, companies would be required to notify the EMA earlier about shortages or withdrawals of their products and maintain larger stocks of essential medicines, including the antibiotics that faced shortages this past winter.

The EU aims to encourage drugmakers to invest in the development of new antibiotics, as there has been no significant progress in this field for decades. Experts warn that the growing problem of drug-resistant "superbugs" could lead to a global emergency worse than the COVID pandemic.

 

Under the proposed reform,  companies that bring a new antibiotic to the market may receive an additional year of exclusivity in the EU  for another medicine they have already introduced.

 

However, some concerns have been raised as fourteen member states have criticized the idea as costly and potentially harmful to consumers by disrupting the generic drugs market.