Clinic pharmacies want to manufacture drugs themselves

Hanna Helder studied German language and literature at the Albert Ludwig University in Freiburg. In addition to her studies, she has gained a lot of experience in radio and print journalism through internships and freelance work. She has been at the Burda School of Journalism since October 2018 and writes, among other things, as a trainee for

More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.

Roughly the same important drugs are needed around the world in the Corona crisis. This leads to bottlenecks in clinics. The clinic pharmacies now want to counter this with their own initiative.

The University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), for example, is preparing for the in-house production of important active ingredients due to impending drug supply bottlenecks in the corona crisis. With the existing medication, the hospital can last three months in the best case, said UKE pharmacist Michael Baehr of the German press agency. "But if there is the second wave, we will quickly run into the red with our supplies."

Anesthetic is already running low

In some hospitals, the important anesthetic propofol had already run out for a short time in the past few weeks. That is why many clinic pharmacies across Germany are currently organizing the procurement of active ingredients in the background in order to be able to manufacture the necessary drugs in their own laboratories.

The current situation is still comfortable

At the moment, however, one is still in a fairly comfortable situation, "compared to the scenarios we imagined four weeks ago - when pictures from Spain and Italy went around the world". Under the impression of these pictures, stocks were increased and attempts were made to conclude extended supply contracts. In addition, there is always a dripping supply of the important drugs.

"If all of this remains stable, nobody has to worry," said UKE pharmacist Baehr. At the same time, however, he fears the effects of the new easing measures. "Thank goodness we still have facilities here with which we can manufacture such sterile drugs." Numerous pharmacies abolished them a few years ago to save money. Other hospital pharmacies, however, have fought to keep them - albeit at a reduced rate - in view of a possible disaster.

Political support necessary

The production of drugs is still limited. But politicians must now increase this amount quickly and unbureaucratically. "Here too, we need the loosening of legal shackles and support in the procurement of substances. Because we are of course not bulk buyers of the necessary powder." But he is very confident "that we can now start everything again well".

For the time after the crisis, Baehr hopes that politics and clinics will learn from the events. "We will have to learn that it was a bit unwise to outsource everything abroad." Both storage and production capacities should be increased. This affects not only the clinic pharmacies themselves, but also the industry. In Baehr's opinion, manufacturers should be forced to "take appropriate precautions for such situations". (hh / dpa)

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