Poland is proposing a national reserve of critical medicines, utilizing its existing wholesale network to build a six-month stock without constructing new facilities. The initiative, discussed at President Karol Nawrocki’s first Health Council meeting, aims to address vulnerabilities in the country’s pharmaceutical supply chain, particularly its 80% reliance on Asian active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
Poland Proposes National Reserve of Critical Medicines
The proposal comes as stockpiling is recognized as a national matter under the EU’s Critical Medicines Act (CMA), which requires coordinated measures to avoid disrupting supplies in other countries. However, organizations like EFPIA and Medicines for Europe have cautioned against fragmented stockpiling, advocating for EU-wide mechanisms to prioritize patient access.
Krzysztof Kopeć, president of Medicines for Poland, believes the focus should be on local production, stating the Polish proposal is too early to assess against European standards. He aligned with World Health Organization strategies that prioritize reliable supply chains through domestic manufacturing for health security.
Experts have warned that Poland’s drug security – ensuring consistent access to quality medicinal products – is at risk, emphasizing the need for a stable supply chain from API production to distribution.
“Even war is not needed. People will die without a single shot. And it won’t be the death of five people, but hundreds every day,” Kopeć cautioned during a debate on the issue.
The proposal targets essential drugs including antibiotics, anaesthetics, and cardiovascular medications. Currently, Poland domestically produces only 20% of these critical medicines, leaving the remainder vulnerable to global disruptions.
Łukasz Pietrzak, chief pharmaceutical inspector, suggested leveraging existing pharmaceutical wholesalers. “Wouldn’t it be better to strike deals with pharmaceutical wholesalers, who are specialised and have the right logistics, to hold this buffer stock? In supply chain breakdowns, such a safety buffer would give us months of resilience,” he said, adding that this approach is cheaper than building dedicated warehouses and allows for regular stock rotation.
Wholesalers have expressed support for the idea. Andrzej Stachnik, president of the Association of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers (ZPHF), stated the sector could begin implementation immediately, creating national medicine reserves based on the existing Polish wholesale system.
Funding for the initiative could come from the Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, mirroring a successful model implemented in Finland. Stachnik suggested piloting the program in a region to demonstrate improved drug security within a year.
While stockpiling offers a short-term solution, experts argue that increasing domestic production is crucial. Kopeć noted that importing from Asia is often cheaper than European manufacturing, citing France’s unsuccessful attempt to build API production capacity due to price competition.
He suggested Poland collaborate with neighboring countries lacking pharmaceutical industries, such as Lithuania or Latvia, to expand the market and justify higher prices for locally produced drugs. “Paying more for Polish-made drugs buys not just medicines but national security and hybrid resilience,” Kopeć argued.
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