Young people have started using many more medicines against scabies in recent months. This is in line with the sharp increase in the number of infections, reports the Foundation for Pharmaceutical Key Figures (SFK). It keeps track of the use of medicines.
Nearly 10,000 young people received ivermectin last year. This remedy is permitted against scabies and has been included in the basic package since November, so that health insurance reimburses it. Compared to 2021, the number of users has increased by 1600 percent. Pharmacists reported a shortage of ivermectin in February due to the scabies wave.
Increase of 92 percent
Another scabies drug, permethrin, was prescribed to 40,000 people last year, a 92 percent increase.
Research institute Nivel reports that the number of scab infections started to rise in October 2021. Scabies is caused by the scabies mite, which burrows under the skin. This can cause tremendous itching, especially at night and in hot weather.
According to SFK, the use of other medicines has hardly changed. About 210,000 people took an anti-inflammatory drug, such as ibuprofen or diclofenac. That is 2.4 percent more. The use of allergy medicines decreased by 5.6 percent, while medicines against eczema were used 2.7 percent more.
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Pharmacists: scarcity of medicine against scabies
By: Editorial