NHS medicine shortages are partly a political failure | Letters
The shortage of key medicines in the National Health Service (NHS medicine shortage puts lives at risk, pharmacists warn, January 14) could get worse if the UK government manages to actively sabotage one of its main sources of cheap generic medicines in a trade war. dealing with India.
With encouragement from the pharmaceutical industry, ministers have used the trade talks with India to push for agreement on new, highly restrictive patent rules that would seriously undermine the generic drug industry. India currently supplies around 25% of its medicines to the NHS and provides even larger quantities to some low-income countries. Still, according to leaks from the conversationsis demanding that Britain allow companies to extend patent terms and apply new patents to slightly modified versions of existing drugs – rolling back protections that helped India become “the pharmacy of the world.”
The British Medical Association, Doctors Without Borders and health organizations in India have all warned that these measures could lead to a rise in the cost of generic medicines, both in Britain and globally. To prevent worse NHS drug shortages in the future, the government must end its attempts to overturn India’s well-balanced patent laws.
Tim Bierley
Policy and Campaigns Manager, Global Justice Now
Having to switch to generic anti-epileptic drugs is not just an “inconvenience” (Why is Britain hit by drug shortages?, January 14). The occurrence of an epileptic seizure can have long-term consequences for brain function, memory, cognitive skills and mood. Seizures also prevent people from driving at least six monthswhich could have a knock-on effect on the person’s employment status and ability to support any dependents.
‘General frailty’ in people with epilepsy is a well-known phenomenon some studies report that 40% of people with epilepsy experience this when switching between different brands of the same drug.
Generic brands are licensed on the basis of pharmacokinetic equivalence (often in healthy volunteers), but this does not necessarily mean that a patient with epilepsy will respond the same way to drugs manufactured by different companies.
Neurologists are aware that they cannot always explain why some people react differently to the same active substance in a tablet with different excipients. Whether the drug is the original brand or a generic drug is not important. The point is that switching between different manufacturers for the same drug is not necessarily without medical, social and financial consequences for people with epilepsy.
Name and address provided
My son is in the same situation as your case study Grace Young (‘The worst I’ve ever known’: the struggle to get essential medicines in Britain, January 14), and also has ADHD. He is in his thirties and holds a management position at a software company, with quite a few responsibilities. Elvanse is the only medication that allows him to function “normally” and he has been without his medication since November. The pharmacy continues to report “production issues,” which is clearly not the whole story.
The sadness and fear this situation has caused him is devastating to see, and he feels like he’s letting everyone down because he can’t do his job properly. Fortunately, he has an understanding employer, but this dire supply situation cannot continue. Thanks for highlighting it.
Name and address provided