Medicine shortage possible after Leiden manufacturer's bankruptcy: Health Minister

A shortage of some medicines may eventually arise due to the bankruptcy of the pharmaceutical manufacturer InnoGenerics in Leiden, Minister Ernst Kuipers of Public Health informed parliament.

The court in The Hague declared the generic medicine maker bankrupt on Tuesday. There was no takeover candidate, and the Cabinet decided against investing money in the company due to all kinds of uncertainties. The company had been struggling for some time.

InnoGenerics produced pharmaceuticals in tablet form on behalf of several marketing authorization holders. These include medicines for gout, depression, cardiovascular disease, epilepsy, and diabetes. It was a very large player in the Dutch market.

According to Kuipers, there are still enough of the medicines the manufacturer made. But he cannot rule out that “shortages may arise for some medicines within a few months.” In the event of such a shortage, the Cabinet could permit the import of comparable medicines from abroad.