Eiropas Zāļu aģentūras (EZA) izpildgrupa, kurā darbojas Eiropas Komisijas un visu Eiropas zāļu aģentūru, tai skaitā arī Latvijas Zāļu valsts aģentūras (ZVA), speciālisti, ir pārrunājusi līdz šim paveikto un vienojusies par nākamajiem soļiem Eiropas Savienības (ES) vienotajā rīcībā saistībā ar antibiotiku pieejamību.
At present, several EU member states, including Latvia, have positive availability trends. Antibiotic supplies are regularly carried out in Latvia, and they are planned in the future as well.
In the coming weeks and months, companies are expected to increase antibiotic supplies, secure additional supplies and increase production capacity.
The highest point in the number of infections in the EU member states could also pass soon, and as a result, the high demand for antibiotics will decrease and the situation with the availability of these drugs in the EU countries will stabilize. Therefore, it is essential for doctors to evaluate in which cases it is necessary to prescribe antibiotics.
ZVA reminds citizens and health care professionals that in most cases, when drugs with a specific commercial (brand) name are not available, alternative treatments or analog drugs from the same or another drug group are available.
EU authorities have also met with companies that provide amoxicillin-containing antibiotics to provide them with regulatory support and to increase production capacity, including using an accelerated procedure for making changes related to alternative raw materials, production facilities and packaging materials. The authorities have also used opportunities to increase the supply of medicines to meet the immediate needs of member states. In order to deal with the situation, the ZVA of Latvia has also issued distribution permits for unregistered medicines, parallel import permits and allowed the delivery of medicines in packaging intended for the market of another country.
Taking into account the improvement in the availability of antibiotics in several EU member states, the European pharmaceutical monitoring organizations believe that the effectiveness of the measures implemented throughout the EU is currently being observed, and they commit to continue and strengthen these efforts to resolve the situation in a timely manner. The EZA executive group responsible for the availability of medicines, in which the Latvian ZVA also operates, will continue cooperation throughout the EU throughout the year in order to avoid the repetition of such a situation in the next winter season.
ZVA draws attention to the fact that it is very important to use antibiotics carefully and according to the doctor’s instructions, in order to maintain their effectiveness and avoid a situation where antibiotics do not help, because the bacteria that caused the disease have become insensitive or resistant to antibiotics.
Antibiotics should only be used to treat bacterial infections. They are not intended to treat viral infections. This means that antibiotics do not help and should not be used for flu and colds, because these diseases are caused by viruses.
