More drugs at risk of lack of availability. There are over 200 items on the list

The list published by the Ministry of Health is the so-called anti-export list. What is this list for? The list is created to minimize the risk of exporting medicinal products, foodstuffs intended for particular nutritional uses and medical devices at risk of lack of availability from the territory of Poland. How do you know which medications should be included? This is decided by the Chief Pharmaceutical Inspectorate (GIF) together with the Ministry of Health. It is based on data from pharmacies. They concern drugs whose quantity on the pharmaceutical market is small and may not meet the needs of patients. A drug is placed on the anti-export list when it is out of stock in at least 5 percent of pharmacies (in a given voivodeship).

Painkillers and insulin may run out

The anti-export list should be of particular interest to people struggling with diabetes. The list published by the Ministry of Health includes various oral preparations that lower blood glucose levels, as well as insulin in the form of an injection solution (51 items). The list also includes agents used in hormone replacement therapy and in the treatment of people with chronic bronchial asthma and patients after a heart attack. Additionally, pharmacies may run out of medications for conditions such as:

• ulcerative colitis,

• Crohn’s disease,

• congenital angioedema type I and II,

• depression,

• allergy,

• primary immunodeficiency,

• psoriasis,

• hyperparathyroidism,

• epilepsy,

• prostate cancer

• Parkinson’s disease,

• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),

• polycystic ovary syndrome,

• diabetes insipidus,

• growth disorders in children, etc.

The list of preparations at risk of lack of availability also includes painkillers and agents used in the therapy of post-transplantation patients. Moreover, the Ministry of Health warns about the lack of some vaccines against the human papillomavirus (HPV).

Not only medicines are at risk of lack of availability

The list presented by the Ministry of Health includes not only medicines, but also foodstuffs for particular nutritional uses and medical devices. This mainly concerns milk replacers used in the elimination diet, as well as urological catheters intended for children and men.

Out of medicine in the pharmacy – what to do in this situation?

Possible shortages of medicines in pharmacies do not necessarily mean that pharmacotherapy must be discontinued. There are many different substitutes for popular medications for diabetes and other diseases on the market. The pharmacist is obliged to inform the patient about their existence.