The EU is suffering from a shortage of medicines, including common antibiotics

Healthcare systems in the European Union face a growing risk of not having enough medicines available in crisis situations. According to the European Court of Auditors, critical drug shortages have been a long-standing problem for which the Union still has no effective remedy.

Between January 2022 and October 2024, there was a critical shortage of 136 medicines in EU countries, reaching record levels in 2023 and 2024.

According to the auditors, there were even periods when commonly used antibiotics were at risk of becoming unavailable.

The causes are deep-rooted: weak coordination, inflexible legislation, and vulnerable supply chains—especially for antibiotics and painkillers, which have been largely relocated to Asia.

Although initial steps have been taken, such as the introduction of a pan-European list of critical medicines, their availability remains questionable. The auditors warn that the European Medicines Agency does not have sufficient powers and lacks reliable data from manufacturers.

In addition, member states are building up their own stocks without coordinating this, which can exacerbate the situation in neighboring countries. According to the auditors' report, the common pharmaceutical market is fragmented, which makes redistribution difficult. The Commission is preparing legislative changes, but their effectiveness is still uncertain.

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