In March, Croatia's pharmacies ran out of cannabis-based medicinal drops used to treat patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, cancer, epilepsy, and AIDS. After the last stocks sold by pharmacies have reached their expiry date, the Immunology Institute, which imports the drug, did not place any new orders, due to low demand.

“The medicines were sold until the last series passed the expiry date. The frequency of orders, and their fulfilment, depends on a number of factors, including sales, stock levels, and manufacturing volume,” said the Immunology Institute, and added that they were working on importing an alternative product, Jutarnji List daily reported on Monday.

However, it remains to be seen whether any new shipments would be ordered. Jutarnji List had earlier reported on the very low interest by patients for the cannabis-based medicine, illustrated by the fact that the Sisters of Mercy hospital in Zagreb had only two multiple sclerosis patients in 2017 who requested a prescription to buy medical cannabis.

Due to the low interest, the government decided to order modest amounts of the drug, with the Health Ministry importing 1,200 bottles in 2016. Last year it imported none, so it was only a matter of time when pharmacies would run out of stock. The Health Ministry must approve imports of any medication, and cannabis-based drugs are only approved if there is a demand for them.

And the main reason for the low demand is the high price. The two different packagings of the cannabis-based drops were available in pharmacies until now, priced at 750 kuna (€100) and 1,000 kuna (€135), and since they are not on the co-financing list by the state health fund, the entire price had to be covered by patients.

Another reason for the low sales is the reluctance of doctors to prescribe the drops.

“All pharmacies had the option to order these drops in case their customers needed them. However, the demand was not so high, as doctors were not very keen on prescribing them. This medicine also has a very short shelf-life and a high wholesale price, so we were reluctant to order large quantities, fearing they might not get used,” Kristina Krivic, head of the supply department at Zagreb City Pharmacies, which operates a chain of 38 pharmacies around the Croatian capital.

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