Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
Remdesivir
Remdesivir - Credit: lubo.ivanko / DepositPhotos - License: DepositPhotos
Health
Remdesivir
Coronavirus
Covid-19
SARS-CoV-2
RIVM
Ministry of Public Health Welfare and Sports
Mark de Boer
LUMC
Tuesday, 6 October 2020 - 07:31
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Netherlands has shortage of Covid medicine Remdesivir

Dutch hospitals are currently unable to order virus inhibitor Remdesivir, used to treat the coronavirus. The last available doses were sent out on Sunday, public health institute RIVM and the Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sports said to Financieele Dagblad.

A spokesperson for the Ministry called the current shortage "very annoying". The Netherlands has been in talks about this with the European Commission for weeks, according to the newspaper. The EU purchases Remdesivir centrally and arranges distribution among the EU member states .

The RIVM and Ministry could not tell FD whether other European countries are also facing a shortage.

Last month, Minister Hugo de Jonge of Public Health said that the Netherlands' healthcare system was well prepared for the second wave of coronavirus infections, specifically mentioning that it was well stocked with Remdesivir.

Doctors are not yet alarmed by the shortage, according to FD. Mark de Boer, internist-infectiologist at LUMC who is involved in drawing up treatment guidelines for coronavirus patients, called the shortage "unpleasant" but "not a disaster".

Remdesivir was originally created to treat Ebola. In June, the European drug authorities approved the medicine for coronavirus patients hospitalized with breathing problems. On average, they recover faster after being given Remdesivir.

The studies on how effective the virus inhibitor is on Covid-19 patients are divided. According to Diederik Gommers, head of the Dutch association for intensive care NVIC, about half of the studies are positive and the other half show no difference with the control group. "Because the drug is not harmful, it is still given," he said, according to NOS.

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Climate activists block A12 in The Hague for fifteenth day in a row
  • Radboud University concealed incident of sexual harassment by rector for six years
  • Hundreds demonstrate for preservation of Zuyderland Hospital emergency room in Heerlen
  • Firefighters busy all night with fire at waste processing plant in Rotterdam and Haelen
  • Election conferences of VVD, CDA, SP and Volt on 'super Saturday'
  • Burnt-out Fremantle Highway cargo ship arrives at Rotterdam port

Top stories

  • Climate activists block A12 in The Hague for fifteenth day in a row
  • Firefighters busy all night with fire at waste processing plant in Rotterdam and Haelen
  • Election conferences of VVD, CDA, SP and Volt on 'super Saturday'
  • Burnt-out Fremantle Highway cargo ship arrives at Rotterdam port
  • Tata Steel emissions cut lifespan of area residents by 2.5 months, says health institute
  • Sharp increase in sexual harassment, bullying reports at Dutch universities

© 2012-2023, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content