An ongoing crisis in the availability of children's fever medicines in Germany is due to stockpiling – or “hamstering” – by pharmacists and wholesalers, says the country's medicines regulator. This is disputed by not just pharmacists and wholesalers, but also manufacturers, which blame Germany's fixed price system for reimbursable medicines, which includes OTC children's fever medicines. Nevertheless, the German government is seeking to address the real causes of the crisis with a new draft generics law, which is being welcomed by industry.
German parents are continuing to face difficulties in acquiring OTC paediatric fever medicines, not just paracetamol liquids but also now ibuprofen liquids and both ingredients in suppository form.
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