Maximum concern about the disappearance of this medicine to stop smoking: it was the only one subsidized

The hopes that spanish pharmacies return to normal in the supply of the medication to stop smoking in 25 days (the todacitan) they fade again. The Spanish Administration had promised to normalize the situation from March 20, according to communicated the polish lab that manufactures it to the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (Aemps). He all quotes, It has been out of supplies since February 21, it will continue in that situation for several more days.

The Aemps and the Information Center on-line of Medicines of the Aemps (TOP) maintain the incidence in the supply active and plan to solve it this Tuesday, March 28. “The Marketing Authorization Holder is conducting a controlled distribution as there are limited units” says the database.

The Ministry of Health began financing todacitan on February 1, a drug that had existed for two years. “It’s a drug [para dejar de fumar en 25 días] very good. Funding from the ministry has made increase demand: it cost 200 euros and now, being financed, 116 euro [si bien, se necesitan unas condiciones para acceder a él y no se prescribe a todo el mundo]. And if a doctor prescribes it for you, you pay half of these 116 euros,” say sources from the General Council of Official Colleges of Pharmacists to THE NEWSPAPER. Spain is the only European country that finances this drug.

They confirm that the Todacitan is among the 10 medicines that are most lacking in Spanish pharmacies, as recorded by the 9,500 pharmacies throughout the territory reporting shortages of medicines, a problem which countries They have been accusing for years.

However, the shortage of medicines in Spain increased last year a 150%. The chronic factors (such as the fact that the production is concentrated in Asia, the demand peaks and the price’s drop in countries like Spain) joined other new as the commodity crisis, the Ukrainian war and the problems of inflation.

Spanish pharmacies closed 2020 with shortages in a total of 403 medicines, informs the General Council. “Although nine out of 10 cases are solved by the pharmacist himself because there are some that can be replaced”, add these sources. It is not so with the todacitan.

Conditions for financing

Todacitan is financed in community pharmacies, in certain conditions. like this indicated in adults for the treatment of tobacco dependence and reduction of anxiety in smokers who are willing to quit smoking

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In order to prescribe the drug, patients must be included in a support program (individual and/or group) of smoking cessation that is implemented in the community.

In addition, patients must meet the following characteristics:

• patients who have express motivation to quit smoking that can be verified with a attempt to quit smoking in the past year.

• Patients who smoke 10 cigarettes or more a day and also have a high level of skilled dependency by the Fagerstrom test.

• will be financed one attempt per year per patient to stop smoking with pharmacological support.

• The prescription of this medication is restricted to professional doctors so defined in the community smoking cessation program.

• Each prescription will be made for one container, which is equivalent to 25 days of treatment.

• The treatment will be maximum up to 25 days, as described in the technical data sheet, which is equivalent to one container.