ABDA: No reason to stockpile medicines due to coronavirus

The German Pharmacists Association (ABDA) has stated that there is no reason to stockpile medicines or request additional prescriptions due to the coronavirus pandemic. According to ABDA Vice President Mathias Arnold, pharmacies, wholesalers, and manufacturers have not observed any significant drug supply disruptions as a result of the crisis.

Arnold, however, pointed out that medicine supply shortages have been a long-standing issue in Germany's healthcare system even before the coronavirus crisis. The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) continuously lists hundreds of drugs with supply problems. In 2019, 18 million packages were affected by supply difficulties, nearly double the previous year's figure.

Pharmacies are constantly required to act as crisis managers to ensure patients' access to medication. This involves contacting neighboring pharmacies, wholesalers, and manufacturers, and, if necessary, collaborating with doctors to arrange therapy changes. Additionally, pharmacies have been producing their own disinfectants when they became unavailable in stores.

ABDA proposes solutions, such as distributing supply contracts to multiple manufacturers to prevent disruptions from a single supplier. The association also advocates for increased production of active pharmaceutical ingredients and medicines within the EU and for export restrictions during supply shortages. While the crisis underscores these needs, Arnold stresses that there is no cause for panic or stockpiling.