A vaccination for measles is currently being hotly debated. But what if there is not the vaccine temporarily? This can happen not only in poor countries but also in Germany.

Who wants to be vaccinated against measles, Tetanus, or other diseases vaccination, has sometimes bad luck: It can not happen that the appropriate vaccine is available. In the past year alone, the manufacturer reported in 45 different vaccines, delivery bottlenecks, as data from the Paul-Ehrlich-Institute (PEI). The Federal Agency for vaccines and medicines since the autumn of 2015, a corresponding statistic -flu vaccinations except.

In 33 cases, only certain package sizes were not available or there was at least a substitute for vaccine. In twelve cases, however, there was temporarily no Alternative.

"The vaccine shortage is with us now to Alltag"

The pharmacies are familiar with the Problem: "Basically, the supply is sufficient, but unfortunately, individual delivery bottlenecks and prevent gaps in supply are to beobachten", Fritz Becker, Chairman of the German pharmacists Association (DAV) said.

More than 100 vaccines for children and adults, the list includes previously registered a bottleneck on the sides of the PEI. Affected, among others, vaccines against diphtheria, Tetanus and whooping cough, measles, Mumps, and rubella, chicken pox, polio, but also against Hepatitis A and B, Cholera, Tetanus, rabies and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE).

"The vaccine shortage is with us now to Alltag", a pharmacist from Berlin-Friedrichshain, which wants to remain anonymous reported. The customers were outraged. ". They were extra at the doctor’s, will look to improve on their Vaccinations and go empty aus", the pharmacist reported. "We hoard certain materials, because it always bottlenecks gibt", another colleague from a pharmacy in Berlin-Neukölln reported.

Production of vaccines is very lengthy

In 2017, the situation was even worse. At that time, 57 of the bottleneck messages, and in the period of October 2015 to the end of 2016, a total of 70 messages. The bottleneck can sometimes persist for more than three months.

"The manufacturers report very reliable, if you don’t können&quot actually deliver for a certain period of time;, PEI spokesperson Susanne stoecker says. In addition, it will also give individuals the opportunity to report suspected bottlenecks. These messages would be considered by the Institute.

But why the shortage? The reasons are varied, explains horse mackerel: "They range from increased demand, manufacturing problems in a Batch to the point that a vaccine fails long, and in the course of this period, the Alternative vaccine is in short supply because of a sudden very much more is in demand than it used to." Since the production of vaccines is very long, could also not be reproduced in the short term, in larger amounts.

Reasons for the shortages are many and varied

"Many developing and emerging countries are now investing in better health care, including vaccinations. Therefore, the demand for vaccines gestiegen&quot worldwide;, explains PR-Manager Anke Helten of GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer. The manufacturers expanded their production capacities, this was a several-year long investment, so Helten. It is not unusual that there is in each of the vaccine components to delays in the production process, and temporary delivery were bottlenecks in the system, she confirmed.

The question of whether the Federal Ministry of health provides for the protection of the population, not answered by a speaker. He observes, however, that in the event of a lack of timely action created recommendations for Physicians in practice and on the website of the Robert Koch Institute and the PEI will be released. The reasons for shortages are many and varied, and were not alone by means of legal measures to exclude.

Thus, vaccine shortages in the pharmacies are non-existent, desires of the pharmacists Association, the possibility of a longer-term planning. "Awareness campaigns are often planned in the longer term, and then also the manufacturer can in a timely manner of their vaccine production hochfahren", says Becker.

In the past year, the public pharmacies have made around 36.4 million doses of the Vaccine to the detriment of the Statutory health insurance – about three percent more than in the previous year, as Figures for the German drug testing Institute. The cost increased from approximately 1.2 to approximately 1.3 billion euros. The strongest growth was in TBE, influenza and meningococcal vaccines.

If you can give away to their customers no vaccines, sent to the Friedrich Hainer pharmacist you further into the health Department or tropical Institute. "I hope you have more luck."