Vaccine against measles, mumps, rubella, polio missing
Published: Thursday, Nov 23rd 2023, 18:50
Updated At: Thursday, Nov 23rd 2023, 18:53
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There is a shortage of vaccines against measles, mumps, rubella and polio in Switzerland. According to the Federal Office for National Economic Supply (FONES), various other drug shortages have also not yet been resolved. Despite this, the Medicines Shortage Task Force was dissolved in the spring.
The Priorix vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella is currently in short supply, the BWL told the Keystone-SDA news agency on Thursday in response to an inquiry. Clarifications are underway to enable measures to be taken. Market clarifications are also underway with possible alternative suppliers.
The compulsory stocks of the Boostrix triple vaccine against diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus (tetanus) had to be opened, it was reported. Nevertheless, the available quantity is not sufficient to fully supply the market. Vaccinations had to be postponed.
However, the Boostrix manufacturer counters that 95,000 doses are available in its warehouse, as it explained to Keystone-SDA. Of these, 10,000 doses are reserved for the compulsory stockpile. 85,000 doses are therefore available for free sale. Vaccinations would therefore not have to be postponed.
Sedatives limited availability
According to BWL, the medication Temesta for anxiety and tension or sleep disorders is also only available to a limited extent. The supply of the pain patch fentanyl, an opioid, is currently also partly coming from compulsory stocks. And the shortage of antibiotics has still not been resolved after almost a year.
The federal government had already assessed the situation as "problematic" at the beginning of February. Unlike in previous years, when hospitals in particular were affected by the shortages, the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) stated at the time that there was now a shortage of medicines in pharmacies and doctors' surgeries, for example, or for treatment at home.
According to the Federal Council, the supply situation for medicines had already been deteriorating for several years. However, the global shortage of antibiotics, for example, had been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdowns in China, it said on February 1 of this year.
An expert task force was then set up under the leadership of the Delegate for National Economic Supply to find measures that would quickly alleviate the bottlenecks. However, this task force was disbanded in April. According to the BWL, issues relating to the supply situation with medicines would be transferred to existing structures.
Experts see supply bottlenecks for medicines as a consequence of globalization. For cost reasons, most pharmaceutical manufacturers no longer produce in Europe, but almost exclusively in Asia, particularly in China and India. An active ingredient is often only produced at one or two locations worldwide.
©Keystone/SDA
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