The clinics are full, children in particular are ill in large numbers, and there is a shortage of many medicines. Bavaria's Health Minister Holetschek is therefore demanding a change in the law from his federal colleague Lauterbach. Fever juices in particular should be able to be produced more quickly.
In view of the shortage of medicines, Bavaria's Health Minister Klaus Holetschek would like to see relaxed regulations for the production of medicines by pharmacies. "We must leave no stone unturned to stabilize the supply of important medicines such as fever syrups for children in the short term and unbureaucratically over the Christmas period," he said in Munich.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach should therefore lower the legal hurdles so that pharmacies themselves can produce fever juices in stock without proof of frequent medical prescriptions, the minister demanded. For this, the drug law must be changed. In this way, pharmacists could stock up to 100 packs of fever juice per day, said Holetschek. As a further measure, he suggested, if necessary, getting the Bundeswehr to help with the delivery and procurement of medicines.
In addition, Lauterbach should check whether the federal government should determine a supply shortage. That sounds very bureaucratic, said Holetschek. "But the official statement would give the federal and state governments more room to maneuver to react to the current situation." For example, medicinal products that are not authorized or registered in Germany can be placed on the market for a limited period of time.
Recently there were delivery problems with children's medicines such as fever and cough syrups. Means for adults are also affected, such as cancer drugs and antibiotics, as Lauterbach explained. In order to take countermeasures, he has also announced key points for a draft law for this week.
