The consumption of antibiotics in the Czech Republic has increased by 47% YoY in the first part of 2022, causing a shortage of some drugs in the market, as reported by Health Minister Vlastimil Valek. However, the situation is expected to stabilise by the end of February, according to Deputy Health Minister Jakub Dvoracek. Antibiotics in tablets are already available, but there is still a shortage of those in liquid form. The Health Ministry has accelerated drug supplies and introduced new drugs to the market, which were not available before. Valek attributed the shortage of medicines to several reasons, such as the limitation of drug production in China and the war in Ukraine. The production of medicines is planned a year in advance, based on consumption figures from previous years. Although consumption is higher this year than in 2021, when anti-epidemic measures were in place, Valek said that the COVID-19 epidemic ended and a flu wave emerged, causing a relatively high number of sick people in a short time.

Valek denied the opposition’s allegations that he was responsible for the lack of medicines, stating that this problem was not unique to the Czech Republic but occurred in other countries as well. He emphasized that there were many reasons for the shortage of medicines, and the issue could not be controlled at the national level. Moreover, the decreasing demand for antibiotics is also contributing to stabilising the situation in the medicines market.

The shortage of medicines is a complex problem that has affected the availability of some drugs in the Czech Republic. However, the Health Ministry is working to stabilise the market by speeding up drug supplies and introducing new medicines to the market. The decreasing demand for antibiotics is also helping to alleviate the situation. Although Valek denied any personal responsibility for the shortage of medicines, he acknowledged the challenges posed by various factors, including the COVID-19 epidemic, the flu wave, and limited drug production in other countries. The situation in the medicines market is expected to stabilise by the end of February, providing much-needed relief to patients and healthcare providers.

Article by Prague Forum