Morphine shortage critical in some Swiss hospitals

Hospitals and pharmacies are running low on some medicaments. © Keystone / Christian Beutler

Switzerland has been forced to switch to alternative supplies of critical medicines, including oral opioids such as morphine, as shortages reach critical levels.

“The situation is extremely tense. Some of the medicines are being taken from the compulsory federal reserve stocks. We are never sure what will happen the next day,” a spokesperson from the University Hospital Vaud told Swiss public broadcaster RTS.

+ Why Switzerland is running out of medicinal drugs

The hospital says it has practically run out of 150 types of drug in its inventory of 2,500 critical medicaments.

The regular supply of opioids has been disrupted for the last two years as manufacturers struggle to keep up with demand.

Despite having a large domestic pharmaceutical industry, including Roche and Novartis, Switzerland still relies on foreign supplies to stock hospitals and pharmacies.

The Swiss pharmaceutical industry has called on Switzerland to reduce its dependence on Asia for medicaments.

Switzerland is feeling the same pinch for many medicinal drugs as in many parts of Europe.

This has led the Swiss authorities to ask pharmacies to dispense certain drugs in smaller quantities to maintain minimum supplies.