Persisting shortage of medications persists as a significant issue in the European Union.
The European Union (EU) has been grappling with high levels of medicine shortages since 2023, a situation that shows no signs of improvement. The European Court of Auditors (ECA) has concluded that the system used to prevent and mitigate critical medicine shortages needs improvement, and Brussels is just starting to address these issues.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has been instrumental in mitigating the negative impacts of these shortages. However, the agency lacks legal powers to help EU countries without a health crisis, and it receives insufficient and delayed information from pharmaceutical companies about medicine shortages.
The EU single market for medicines is hindered by obstacles that prevent them from circulating freely and being always available. As a result, most medicines are authorized by each country, while others are authorized for the entire EU but not sold in all countries. This fragmented system increases inequality in access to medicines.
The European Commission has identified fragility in supply chains as a cause of medicine shortages, with much of the production of antibiotics and analgesics now done in Asia. Without coordination between countries, the situation could worsen elsewhere. In response, many EU countries have started to stockpile medicines as shortages become more severe.
The first European list of critical medicines is an important first step, but it has not ensured that these medicines are always available. The ECA states that the system lacks a proper legal basis and does not provide timely or actionable information. The European Commission has not yet acted to eliminate the barriers to trade between different countries.
The ECA warns that tackling the root causes of medicine shortages is still in its infancy and may take some time to yield results. The system's slow and uncoordinated political decision-making processes and complex decision rules within the EU institutions have contributed to the EU's inability to resolve critical medicine shortage situations within its member states.
It's crucial to note that medicine shortages can affect all types of medicines, including innovative patent-protected ones, generics, and vaccines. The requirement for pharmaceutical companies to guarantee a continuous supply does not work effectively in practice.
As the EU grapples with these challenges, it's essential to prioritise the development of an effective mechanism to resolve critical medicine shortage situations within its member states. Without such a mechanism, the situation could worsen, potentially impacting the health and wellbeing of millions of EU citizens.
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