European Commission monitoring antibiotic use for shortages, asks firms to ramp up production
The European Commission and key stakeholders will meet to discuss steps to avoid a shortage of antibiotics during the upcoming winter season. They are recommending against unnecessary use of the drugs and stockpiling and asking manufacturers to ramp up production.The European Commission, the Heads of Medicines Agencies (HMA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) are recommending steps stakeholders including regulators, manufacturers and health care providers should take to avoid a shortage of antibiotic drugs to treat respiratory infections this winter. The recommendations include asking manufacturers to increase production of antibiotics, and ensuring health authorities monitor the supply and demand of antibiotics in order to take potential mitigating steps if it seems like there may be a shortage.
The Commission also said EMA and the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) will work with manufacturers to help increase production of some intravenous antibiotics.
“It is essential that we take action now to prepare ahead of next winter and ensure that potential shortages of antibiotic medicines are avoided,” said Stella Kyriakides, European commissioner for health and food safety.
She said that HERA and EMA will prioritize following up on the list of antibiotics that face potential shortages and added it is part of the Commission’s on-going work to develop a list of critical medicines that may be at risk of shortages in the region.
If the demand for antibiotics is similar to that of previous years, the Commission said they should be in good shape. However, they still plan to follow the use of antibiotics closely to head off any potential shortages.
“Based on the data received we are working to ensure that we are better prepared for the upcoming winter season,” HMA Chair Karl Broich said. “These early projections will allow the European medicines regulatory network to work with stakeholders to take measures in advance and prevent potential shortages for patients in the upcoming winter season.”
The Commission said healthcare providers should be prudent about prescribing antibiotics not just to ward off any potential shortage of the drug but to avoid antimicrobial resistance from overuse of the drugs. It also reminded providers and the public that antibiotics are useless against the common cold and the influenza virus.
On top of that, the Commission said stakeholders should not stockpile antibiotics as that may only put further strain on the antibiotic supply chain and cause or worsen any shortages of the drugs.
A HERA board meeting is planned for 20 July, where representatives of the member states' ministries of health, the Commission and industry plan to discuss potential antibiotic shortages and possible mitigating steps.
European Commission Notice
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