About KNMP Farmanco

Internationally, medicine shortages cause increasing concern. For patients it may impose a significant effect on their safe use of medication. For pharmacists it is time-consuming to get trustworthy information. In 2004 the Royal Dutch Pharmacists Association (KNMP) launched the website KNMP Farmanco: www.farmanco.knmp.nl. It provides pharmacists with up to date information on medicine shortages in The Netherlands.

On the website a medicine shortage can be reported by industry or pharmacists. Based on the report, the manufacturer is contacted for an analysis of the problem such as reason for the shortage. Within 24 hours of the report, information is provided on the website about the cause and the duration of the shortage and possibilities for solutions. An advice on a pharmaceutical alternative, import or pharmacy preparation is usually published afterwards. This way, medicine shortages are reported quickly, which allows pharmacists to take proper action. Possibilities for solutions are only visible after logging in.

The solutions are investigated sequentially:

  • substitution: same active ingredient and dosage form;

  • pharmaceutical alternative: other active ingredient, replaceable based on therapeutic standards;

  • import: product from another (EU-)country;

  • pharmacy preparation.