Since certain medications are currently unavailable, some pain patients now need to be treated in hospital. Because: some preparations are very difficult to replace.
The Association for Anaesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Care Medicine (ÖGARI) announced in a broadcast on Monday that this affects people with those drugs that need to be applied close to the spinal cord. Continuous pain therapy is especially important for chronically multimorbid patients, emphasized the physician Rudolf Likar.
Medicines not available
“Many effective remedies are currently unavailable. These cannot be easily replaced either, because it is not always possible to switch to other preparations,” explains the head of ÖGARI’s pain department. In addition to the supply problems of important medicines, medical devices such as pain pumps and pain catheters are also the CE certification, he says.
Cannabinoids not allowed in Austria
“Although some innovative pharmacies produce painkillers themselves, unfortunately there is no substitute for opioids and medical products in sight. Another hurdle in the care of pain patients is that certain drugs, such as certain cannabinoids, are not even approved in Austria, even though they have a proven effect and are used internationally,” said Likar.
Out of stock opioid patches for terminally ill children
Last week, the Pain Association (ÖSG) had already expressed its “acute concern” about the shortage of medicines. Specialists from the Palliative Care Society (OPG) also went public because, among other things, opioid patches for terminally ill children are virtually non-existent. Due to the current shortage of painkillers, doctors increasingly have to deviate from the standard therapy that meets the guidelines.
Source: Krone
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