A new law will take effect on Saturday to curb drug shortages, reported the Federal Medicine Agency (FAGG). The shortage of medicines in our country continues to increase. At the end of last month, more than 400 medicines, mainly blood thinners, were temporarily unavailable, reported Het Laatste Nieuws.
By amending the law to prevent distributors from distributing medicine intended for Belgian patients in other countries, the government hopes to reduce one of the causes of the temporary unavailability of some medicines.
From now on, manufacturers will be certain that the medicines that they deliver to wholesalers and distributors as part of their obligation to deliver, will end up with a Belgian patient. The "risk of distribution in other countries" can therefore no longer be an argument to refuse a delivery.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
