Editorial: El Mundo

• The problems of drug supply in Europe and especially in Spain have significantly increased over the years.
• Medicines that have experienced supply problems include amoxicillin for children and Ozempic for diabetics.
• Even though pharmacies typically offer alternatives, long-term measures are needed to change the dynamics.
• Europe imports 40% of the active ingredients of its drugs mainly from India and China, where safety standards are lower.
• Having a strategic reserve of medicines and a system for detecting drugs at risk is essential.
• The EU seeks to define preparation standards for temporary replacements in case of need, and industry emphasizes the importance of diversifying suppliers.
• Self-supply of medicines must be guaranteed in circumstances of instability like we've seen with the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Conclusion: It is imperative for Europe, and particularly for Spain, to ensure an adequate availability of drugs, diversify sources of their active components, and establish long-term measures to handle contingencies.

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