Following the adoption of recommendations aimed at guaranteeing an adequate supply of antibiotics, on Thursday 20 July the European Commission, via the EU Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), took immediate follow-up measures to ensure the availability of essential medicines in cooperation with the industry.
The HERA Board met with industry representatives to discuss antibiotic shortages and the secure and continued availability of these medicines.
According to Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, “our main objective is to ensure that all citizens have immediate access to the antibiotics they need this winter. Engaging with industry partners is essential to understand how we can best help on the ground”.
HERA presented the results of its monitoring of supply and demand to industry representatives. The aim of the meeting was to encourage an exchange of views on how to effectively implement the recommendations, in particular to increase the production of key antibiotics and monitor supply and demand (see EUROPE 13224/12).
The Commission and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will continue to monitor the situation closely and interact with companies over the summer ahead of the next meetings of the Executive Steering Group on Shortages and Safety of Medicinal Products (MSSG) and the HERA Board in mid-September. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)