Shortage of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance

Subject: Shortage of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance

This November, Spain has been facing a shortage of paediatric amoxicillin owing to an increase in bacterial respiratory infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis. According to the Spanish Medicines and Health Products Agency, there are currently six types of amoxicillin with supply problems and, for some of them, normal supply is not expected to be restored until 2023.

Antibiotics are medicines with lower profit margins and therefore less attractive for investment so that greater incentives are required for innovation and in order to build resilient supply chains to avoid supply disruptions.

In addition to this widespread supply disruption, antimicrobial resistance poses a serious social and economic threat causing 35 000 deaths per year in the EU. If no remedial measures are taken, antimicrobial resistance could cause more deaths than cancer by 2050.

In light of the above:

1. What measures does the Commission intend to put forward as part of the upcoming review of pharmaceutical legislation to incentivise investment and the development of new antibiotics in Europe?

2. Will the Commission propose specific measures to strengthen the supply chain and boost the supply of antibiotics at critical times?

Submitted: 23.11.2022