Finnish pharmacies have reported availability problems with various medicines prescribed for attention disorders since last autumn. The problem is Europe-wide.
According to the Finnish Medicines Agency (Fimea), the specific root causes of the availability problems remain unclear, but they are related to production-related problems and increased demand.
For example, certain strengths of Equasym Retard may not become widely available again in Finland until April or May, the manufacturer said.
The drug, methylphenidate, which is also sold under the brand names Ritalin and Concerta, is a central nervous system stimulant used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Timo Mauriala, head of the Product Quality Control Unit at Fimea, said that drug availability problems lasting over half a year are unusual.
"The situation has been very challenging for a long time. Although the availability of some products has improved, others have disappeared," said Mauriala.
Different strengths require different prescriptions
Aila Aitamurto, a pharmacist at the Kaakkuri pharmacy in Oulu, said that, for example, Equasym Retard is available in 10 and 20 milligram strengths, but if a patient’s prescription is for the 30 milligram dose, they cannot be sold different strengths of the same medicine.
According to Aitamurto, the drug shortages are causing extra work for pharmacists and other health professionals on a daily basis.
"We can search and see which pharmacy may still stock a certain medication, but it’s not always possible for customers to obtain them from a long distance away," said Aitamurto.
Kati Vuorikallas, pharmaceutical director of the Yliopiston Apteekki pharmacy chain, said that the 30-milligram strength of the product is not available from drug wholesalers, and there is no directly interchangeable product for it.
"When a customer comes in to pick up a medicine that is not available, we direct them to contact their attending physician so that a replacement medication can be considered," explained Vuorikallas.
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