Briefing
On 6 November 2026, the German Bundestag once again discussed the strained supply situation for medicines. Parliamentary documents and the public register of the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices show that around 600 medicines are currently reported to be affected by supply shortages. The figure fluctuates, but illustrates the continuing scale of the disruption.
The data are based on reports from manufacturers to the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, which collates and regularly updates the information on the BfArM portal. The listings include both common standard medicines and certain groups of active ingredients, including antibiotics and medicines for children. The entries vary in duration and significance for supply; a shortage does not necessarily mean that treatment is impossible, but it often leads to changes in treatment or increased efforts to find alternatives.
One backdrop to the debate is the Act to Combat Supply Shortages of Medicinal Products and Improve Supply, passed in 2023. It is intended to increase transparency, expand stockholding requirements and stabilise supply chains. In motions and statements, including an initiative by the AfD parliamentary group, the effectiveness of the measures taken so far has been questioned. Criticism focuses in particular on dependence on global supply chains, the concentration of active ingredient manufacturers and incentives that, through rebate agreements, prioritise the lowest price above all else.
For those responsible for delivering care, the shortages mean extra work in pharmacies and hospitals. Formulations have to be adjusted individually more often, substitutions checked and treatment plans coordinated. Professional associations report particular pressure on paediatric formulations and certain life-saving antibiotics. The ABDA – Federal Union of German Associations of Pharmacists therefore calls for more reliable procurement channels, diversified tenders and increased production in Europe, in addition to short-term measures to offset shortages.
The German government points to the BfArM’s monitoring and assessment functions and to steps already implemented under the legislative package. The latest reporting statistics do not justify an all-clear. Parliament is considering further regulatory options, such as adjusted stockholding rules, more resilient tender criteria and better incentives to ensure the availability of medicines essential to patient care. No specific decisions have yet been made; trends in reported figures remain a key measure for assessing further action.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).