Table 3.
Financial sanctions related to medicine shortages as of March / April 2020.
| Country | Financial sanctions in general | Financial sanctionsa |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| for non-supply | for non-compliance to reporting requirements | for non-compliance with stocking requirements | ||
| Austria | No | No | No | Not appl. (no reserve) |
| Albania | Yes | No | Not appl. (no register) | Yes (in contract) |
| Bulgaria | No | No | Not appl. (no register) | Not appl. (no reserve) |
| Canada | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Cyprus | No | No | No (sanctions were being discussed) | Not appl. (no reserve) |
| Czech Republic | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not appl. (no reserve) |
| Denmark | Yes | Yes | Yes (but not imposed) | Yes, under the contractual tender obligation (inpatient medicines) to stock listed medicines for 3−6 months |
| Finland | Yes | No | No (sanctions were being discussed) | Yes |
| Germany | Yes | No | Yesb | Not appl. (no reserve in principle) |
| Israel | No | No | Yes | No |
| Italy | Yes | No | Yes (since 2019) | Not appl. (no reserve) |
| Latvia | Yesc | No | Yes | No |
| Lithuania | No | No | No | Not appl. (no reserve requirements for MAH) |
| Malta | No | No | No | No |
| Moldova | No | No | Not appl. (no register) | Not appl. (no reserve) |
| Netherlands | Yes | Yes (for winners of the tenders) | Yes | Yes, under implementationd |
| Norway | No | No | No | Noe |
| Portugal | Yesc | Yes (but not imposed) | Yes (but not imposed) | Yes (but not imposed) |
| Romania | Yes | No | Yes | Not appl. (no reserve) |
| Russia | No | No | Not appl. (no register) | No |
| Slovenia | Yes | Yes, for wholesalers in case of non-supply with 24 h (weekdays) or 72 h (weekend) | Yes | Not appl. (no reserve requirements for MAH) |
| Sweden | Yes | Yes (for winners of the tenders) | No | Not appl. (no reserve) |
| Switzerland | No | No | No | No |
| United Kingdom | Yesc | No | Yes | No |
MAH = marketing authorisation holders, not appl. = not applicable.
a
Unless indicated (e.g. for Denmark), it is not known whether, or not, sanctions were actually enforced.
b
Since a legal change on 1 April 2020, which introduced the obligation to notify the register.
c
In addition, financial sanctions for the export of medicines which are prohibited to be exported.
d
Policy of supply reserves will be established in 2020, to be introduced with financial sanctions.
e
On the contrary, increased costs for wholesalers for additional stockpilings during the COVID-19 crisis are refunded by the state.