Association of full pharmaceutical wholesalers presented Health Minister Rauch with the inventory of active ingredients / demand for an extension of the infrastructure security contribution.
Vienna (OTS) – Health Minister Johannes Rauch today visited a location of the Austrian pharmaceutical wholesaler in Vienna-Simmering.
The current reason was the increased stockpiling of medicines to combat medication shortages.
PHAGO President Andreas Windischbauer presented the active ingredient warehouse created specifically for crises: “The 23 warehouses of the full pharmaceutical wholesaler currently have safety stock of more than a tonne of basic active ingredients for critical pain and fever medicines as well as antibiotics, including excipients and packaging. With this alone, almost 300,000 patients can be treated with extemporaneous preparations as a bridge. If there is an acute need, we can deliver the active ingredients to the pharmacies at any time.
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In addition, the PHAGO wholesalers have created an early warning system that continuously sends delivery bottleneck reports to the Ministry of Health and Social Security in order to make it possible to take timely action if necessary.
Supply bottlenecks remain a major challenge in the healthcare sector. The package of measures presented makes an important contribution to ensuring the supply of medicines in Austria for this winter. However, another measure is needed for further security, says PHAGO President Windischbauer: “So that we, full-service pharmaceutical wholesalers, can continue to stock all medicines not only in the short term, but also for the next winter season 2024/25, we need an extension of the infrastructure security contribution.
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The corresponding law, which reimburses pharmaceutical wholesalers for part of the additional costs that have arisen in recent years, is currently limited to August 2024.
Questions & Contact:
PHAGO
Association of Austrian pharmaceutical wholesalers
Phone: +43 (0) 1 71 72 8 794
E-Mail: office@phago.at