Faced with difficulties in supplying certain drugs last winter, the Ansm presented a plan on Tuesday to limit these tensions this winter. Its general director recalls that the “first responsibility” of manufacturers is to “make sufficient quantities available [de médicaments]”.
“Our goal is to be able to ensure that there is access [aux médicaments] at any point in the territory.supports Wednesday October 4 on franceinfo Christelle Ratignier-Carbonneil, director general of the National Medicines Safety Agency, while the Ansm presented Tuesday October 3 its “winter plan” to limit tensions on the supply of certain medicines.
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After the difficulties encountered last winter, the authorities are taking the lead and putting in place measures to anticipate possible shortages. The general director of the Ansm therefore plans to “automatically block all exports” of medication as soon as we have a “declaration of risk of tensions or ruptures”. “We ask that manufacturers deliver to wholesale distributors as a priority so that they can then supply all pharmacies, whether small or large”adds Christelle Ratignier-Carbonneil.
franceinfo: What is the current situation regarding our stocks of medicines?
Christelle Ratignier-Carbonneil: The situation that we manage on a daily basis to guarantee the coverage of health needs for patients on the national territory is made up of different situations. If we focus on the molecules that we use during winter pathologies, such as fever medications, paracetamol, antibiotics, amoxicillin or corticosteroids, we are in situations where stocks are there at the level of industrial. Concerning amoxicillin, we still have disparities in access at the pharmacy level. Our objective is to be able to guarantee that there is access to every point of the territory.
How exactly do we go about it?
We don’t do anything alone at the National Medicines Safety Agency, we do it with all the stakeholders: healthcare professionals, patients and those in the supply chain. In France, we have a particularly regulated system for medicines, with manufacturers. It is their first responsibility to make sufficient quantities available [de médicaments]. The distribution players, the wholesale distributors, are on the national territory with a network to supply all pharmacies. Then there are the pharmacies, town pharmacies and the hospital. The objective is to ensure that there is access at every point. This is why we are asking that manufacturers deliver to wholesale distributors as a priority so that they can then supply all pharmacies, whether small or large.
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What is your plan?
For all drugs of major therapeutic interest, whether they are for the winter plan or not, when we have a declaration of risk of tensions or ruptures, I automatically, systematically block all exports. Wholesale distributors do not have [alors] no longer the right to export medicines that are on the national territory. This allows us to guarantee coverage for our patients on the national territory. This is a very strong measure. We will then see if we can import medicines, if there are others in other territories. There is European, even international, solidarity. When we have significant tensions, we will limit certain indications, limit volumes and call for the proper use of the medication.