The shortage of medicines is an international problem that affects health systems around the world, including that of Bulgaria. This was stated by Bogdan Kirilov, executive director of the Bulgarian Drug Agency (BDA), on the air of "Denyat zapochva". He emphasized that while each country has its own specifics, the trend is global and requires a comprehensive approach.
According to Kirilov, one of the main factors that determine the shortage of certain products is their cyclicality and seasonality. These phenomena are directly related to the different levels of morbidity throughout the year. As an eloquent example, he pointed to the difficulties observed with the availability of antibiotic products, especially during the winter months, when the incidence of respiratory infections traditionally increases.
Overuse and antibiotic resistance
The BDA director did not hide his concern about the overuse and irrational use of medicines. He cited alarming data from the World Health Organization (WHO), according to which approximately 50% of medicine consumption worldwide is irrational. In this statistic, antibiotics play a leading role - a group of medicines whose improper use can have dramatic consequences. Kirilov warned that if the current trend of irrational use continues, in 10 or 20 years the world will face a paradoxical "surplus of antibiotics that will not work". This is a sinister prophecy for a future in which antibiotic resistance will make many diseases practically incurable.
The situation in Bulgaria
Within the national health system, the BDA receives information about two to three missing products per week. These are medicines that for one reason or another are temporarily unavailable in the pharmacy network. As a specific example for the last period, Bogdan Kirilov pointed to the lack of a medicine intended for the treatment of people suffering from osteoporosis. This single case is indicative of the daily difficulties faced by both patients and health authorities in their attempts to ensure continuous access to vital therapies.