European Commission Unveils Communication on Strategic Approach for Countering Online Disinformation and Hate Speech
The European Union (EU) is heavily reliant on Asian countries, particularly China and India, for the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and intermediates for medicines. This dependence is significant, with the EU sourcing 70% of its pharmaceutical active ingredients and 79% of its intermediate substances from Asia.
In an effort to address this issue, the EU Commission has published an EU-wide list of 268 critical medicines, marking an important step towards better coordination at the European level. The publication of this list is aimed at improving coordination and addressing the critical shortages that have reached a record high last year and are still ongoing in some cases this year.
However, the EU's response to medication shortages has been criticized as too slow. The formation of monopolies in the pharmaceutical industry and the outsourcing of medication production also contribute to the problem.
To address these challenges, the goal is to specifically strengthen the European production of these medications and build strategic partnerships, both within the EU and with third countries. The EU Commission has proposed an industrial policy for the pharmaceutical industry this year, but the use of subsidies as incentives for locations in Europe remains unanswered.
The EU internal market is costly and complex due to differences in medication names, package sizes, and labeling requirements, keeping the market fragmented. This fragmentation is further exacerbated by low price transparency and significant cost differences between member states.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) states that the increasing demand due to global population growth and an aging society in Europe is one reason for the critical shortages. The EMA, however, lacks the necessary competencies to support member states beyond health crises, leading to a lack of reliable, comparable, and up-to-date information on the availability of medicines.
The new European platform for monitoring shortages is important but not yet fully operational. More than half of the shortage reports over the past two years occurred not before, but at the onset or after the occurrence of the shortage. This underscores the need for a more proactive approach to addressing medication shortages.
Patients can face serious consequences as a result of medication shortages. For example, they can permanently lose their vision due to shortages. The increasing costs for social and healthcare systems in Europe are also due to more sick days and more expensive treatment methods.
The European Court of Auditors (ECA) warns that the problem is urgent and measures must be taken. Public procurement of medicines should not be based on the lowest prices, but on quality and supply security. An increase in critical shortages is expected during the upcoming cold and flu season.
In conclusion, the EU faces a critical challenge in ensuring the availability of essential medicines. Strengthening European production, building strategic partnerships, and improving coordination at the European level are key steps towards addressing this challenge. The EU Commission, EMA, and member states must work together to ensure the reliable and timely supply of medicines to EU citizens.
