Vital Psychiatric Medication Out Of Stock In Pharmacies

For over 6-months now, psychiatrists, patients, and doctors around the country have sounded the alarm over the absence of medication including vital psychiatric medications. For the Lebanese who rely on antidepressants, antipsychotics, and the like, this is catastrophic.

Several drugs that aid mental health have gone completely out of stock in pharmacies across Lebanon, leaving patients desperate for substitutes that also no longer exist in the country. Prozac, Xanax, Desvenlafaxine, Venlafaxine, Clonazepam and Sertraline – these drugs treat depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and even seizures, and it is extremely dangerous to stop them cold turkey.

Pharmacist Souheil El Gharib spoke to Beirut.com and said, “Certain medications are running out in Lebanon due to three major reasons: smuggling outside of Lebanon, people panic-buying in bulks to store at home, and BDL is making it more difficult to import medication into Lebanon”.

El Gharib went on to add, “Some of these medications haven’t been restocked in over 2 months, and others for over 4 months”.

This comes at quite possibly the most brutal time for Lebanese citizens suffering from depression and anxiety. It is also important to note that most psychiatric medications cannot be stopped abruptly as they cause additional mental and physical distress.

The “lucky” few get their meds from abroad, while the rest are left to suffer with no governmental plan to help them out.

Day by day, we are hearing stories of death by suicide being reported around the country. Contact Embrace’s hotline (1564) if you need support. If you’re concerned about a friend, please encourage them to contact the hotline as well.