The coronavirus pandemic is causing issues left right and centre when it comes to health and the economy, which has had to be all but paused, and problems are being experienced in the field of drug availability, too, as exports continue to be affected.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 13th of April, 2020, the Croatian drug market is far from immune from the coronavirus epidemic, and there has been a shortage of two medicines containing paracetamol and one other drug containing lopinavir/ritonavir for the treatment of HIV reported, according to a report from Vecernji list.
According to the Croatian Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices, HALMED, these shortages of these particular medicines are not currently considered critical in the Republic of Croatia, since other medicines with the same active substances continue to remain available on the Croatian market. This shortage is due to a restriction on exports from India and the active substances of medicines wholly imported from China.
”In line with the evolution of the [coronavirus] epidemiological situation, HALMED is continuously collecting data and conducting analyses of the impact of the pandemic and epidemic spread of COVID-19 on the supply of drugs to the Croatian market.
We would also like to mention that we are in constant contact with the regulatory authorities of other EU member states and the marketing authorisation holders whose medicinal products are placed on the market of the Republic of Croatia in order, if necessary, to take the measures needed to ensure the adequate supply of the Croatian market,” HALMED stated.
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