The shortages in pharmacies are linked and look alike. Indeed, for several years, certain drugs have been out of stock. But since the start of the 2022 school year, this phenomenon seems to be intensifying. With the triple epidemic of Covid-19, bronchiolitis and influenza, but also supply difficulties, the sector is in crisis. The National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (Ansm) has updated the list of medicines that cannot be found in pharmacies. There have been 22 since May 2023. Discover the out-of-stock drugs in our slideshow below.
To get out of the crisis, François Braun and Emmanuel Macron have already mentioned a few avenues. On June 13, 2023, during his trip to Ardèche, the President returned to measures considered essential. Among them, we find the relocation “in the coming weeks” of the production of 25 molecules in France, according to comments collected by franceinfo. The government then plans to allocate a budget of 160 million euros for this project. For his part, François Braun, Minister of Health, considered another solution.
Heard by the committee of inquiry into the shortage of drugs in the Senate on Thursday June 15, 2023, François Braun raised the possibility of a price increase. Indeed, to avoid new drug shortages, the former emergency doctor says he is “ready to consider” an increase in the cost of generic drugs, according to information collected by BFTMV with AFP.
Nevertheless, the Minister of Health mentioned a few conditions for an increase in the price of generics to be possible. “Bring us elements of transparency to see what the real production price is”, he addressed to industrialists in the pharmaceutical sector. The latter claim that the prices of certain generics are too low and have even fallen below the cost of production. This entails the risk of a stoppage of production by certain laboratories.
While waiting for the announcement of concrete measures, discover in our slideshow below the references of drugs out of stock since but 2023.
