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The truth is that medicine shortages have become a global and serious issue. And the situation is worsening. Health care professionals have been sounding the alarm for years, but to no effect. This is of course an unacceptable situation. According to the European Parliament, medicines to treat cancer, infectious and disorder of the nervous system account for more than half of those in short supply. The main explanation for such tense situation which endangers the life of many patients are manufacturing problems but also agreements between distributors. It should be stressed that between 2000 and 2018 shortages in the EU have increased twenty-fold (Re.European Commission). And the EU is always more dependent on third countries -mainly India and China- when it comes to the production of active pharmaceutical products ingredients and new medicines. Today 80% of active pharmaceutical ingredients are sourced from India and China. And China and India produce 60% of the world's paracetamol, 90% of the penicillin and 50% of the ibuprofen. Yes, the shortages of medicine is a reality in many countries. In the current international context each country having the needed technical and financial means should try to develop its own pharmaceutical industry in order to produce the basic medicines which are essential to the good health of its population.

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