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Due to the panic surrounding Covid-19, there is a threat of a worldwide shortage of essential medicines, on the one hand because many countries no longer export them (insulin) on the other hand due to hoarding. Essential medicines are medicines that are necessary to sustain life and to reduce or prevent potentially serious consequences and symptoms of chronic diseases.
Examples are: Insulin, rheumatic drugs, in some cases anticoagulants (blood thinners), antihypertensive drugs, HIV drugs and many others. Medications that are taken for sporadic complaints of a transient nature are not included.
It is advised, a three months' supply of essential medicines to keep. That means you need to supplement regularly. If after three months it turns out that there are still shortages, it will mean that millions of people will suffer serious consequences.
Let's hope it doesn't get that far. That is also not necessary if the governments start using their brains.
Stocking up on large quantities of non-essential resources is absolutely not necessary.
If you are not sure about your case, let us know. Then maybe I can advise you. Please ask such questions through the editors, so that we can bundle the answers in case of many questions.
Unfortunately, questions about the prices of medicines and where they can still be purchased cannot be answered. That is different in every village and every city. However, such questions can be put to the readers.
If you go to the pharmacy, take the packaging of the necessary medicines with you. That is sufficient information for a good pharmacist.
Furthermore, despite the boredom, it is advisable to use alcoholic beverages moderately. Because of that boredom, people can become alcoholics (again).
Let's hope this misery is over soon. Fortunately, there is good hope.
Sincerely,
Dr. Maarten
Doctor Martin,
Thank you for the good advice.
I had already anticipated possible shortages myself and have had my two types of insulin (Novorapid and Lantus) for four months already and will order them again as soon as I drop below three months' supply. I did feel a lot of discomfort because I hoarded, but without insulin the diabetes patient quickly ends.
Rembrandt
The shortage of medicines and other medical devices, which actually have to do with austerity, have now become very expensive tuition, partly in view of the Coronavirus.
Medical products and medicines that were previously produced in Europe all had to be moved to low-wage countries in Asia as a result of so-called cost-saving measures.
Savings that benefited the Pharma industry, as well as European health systems, did not require large stocks, as they could be replenished almost at the touch of a button.
A good saving yet profitable system, which went well until the world became a victim of this difficult pandemic.
As a result, all warehouses that were previously filled quickly, due to Lockdown measures, temporary cessation of production, and own use of the producing countries, suddenly became empty.
The result was a screaming shortage of disinfectants, medicines, and mouth masks that were now suddenly needed everywhere due to the Coronavirus.
The only lesson one would learn from this is to pay a little more, bring production back to Europe, and never again be dependent on the Chinese and other low-wage producers.
Expensive tuition of which I don't want to know exactly, how many human lives this ultimately cost.
John, totally agree.
On the other hand, perhaps we should be thankful to China for exposing this.
I don't think we could ever do something like that as a people.
That is why I do not believe in the story that China orchestrated this Corona story. It would be very stupid of them to expose that weak spot like that...
Whether our politicians have learned their lesson is something else, I fear.
Moderator: Questions to Dr. Maarten have to go through the editors.