A new law requiring pharmaceutical labeling in Russian and Arabic in addition to English and Hebrew will result in a shortage of drugs on the shelves of the nation’s drugstores, with manufacturers adding there are 12.5 million packages of drugs that are still not in compliance with the new law.

Complicating the matter is that while the health ministry is permitting drugstores to complete what they have in stock, the nation’s largest HMO, Kupat Cholim Clalit has 9 million packages of drugs in its main storehouse and this has been banned from use. Drug companies are in the process of taking back the stock from the HMO, and HMO officials feel it will be about four weeks until they are returned with the new labeling. HMO officials report that they warned health ministry decision-makers that by prohibiting the use of their main stock, there will be a shortage in the marketplace for many drugs and the patients who seek to fill prescriptions will suffer.

Some drug companies informed the ministry they cannot meet the deadline. The ministry decided they would not grant an extension, but would permit marketing drugs in the old packaging if the drug companies are willing to pay between 30,000-60,000 NIS per quarter per type of drug sold.

Ministry officials confirm the new law took effect on May 1, 2013, requiring labeling in Arabic and Russian in addition to English and Hebrew. Officials insist there is no reason for a shortage; pointing out there are elements working to sabotage the new law and as such, there may be a shortage that is manmade, albeit avoidable. (The law was to go into effect on August 1, 2012, but when drug companies said they cannot meet the deadline, the extension to 1 May was granted by the ministry).

David Papo, who represents the nation’s pharmacies, calls the situation “catastrophic”. He insists there are shortages and he knows of cases in which patients have gone from one pharmacy to another in an effort to fill a simple prescription.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)