Cyprus is rapidly running out of the antipsychotic drug Seroquel with the higher dosages especially being in short supply since early October, the Cyprus News Agency reported on Wednesday.

Seroquel is used to treat patients with schizophrenia, bipolar or anxiety disorders, depression or insomnia.
Gesy has reached out to the purchasing and supply department of the health ministry with the urgent request to take care of the shortage.

Gesy has requested more than 38,000 pills to ensure a stock of the drug, but as 900 packets are consumed per month, this would cover the needs of patients for one and a half months.

CNA said Seroquel imports were originally expected to reach the local market on January 31, but the date would probably not be met and it remained unclear when the drug would reach the island.

Gesy officer Ioanna Tantele confirmed the shortage of Seroquel 150 mg and 300mg. She said that the 150mg packages have already been in short supply since mid-December 2024 and 300mg since early October.

Tantele further pointed out that 50mg packages currently remained available on the market. This would cover the need for at least some patients.

She explained that authorities plan to request the delivery of pharmaceutical generics with the ingredient quetiap instead of the brand-name drug sold under the trade name Seroquel.

Medochemie, one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Cyprus known for producing generics, is not yet producing a Seroquel generic, however, they told the Cyprus Mail that plans to do so within the next year are underway.

Pharmaceutical generics are drugs with the same active-ingredient formula as brand-name medications.
Generic drugs are cheaper, as instead of doing testing and research themselves, they only need to replicate existing products. Other than the difference in pricing, they are required to be the same dosage, effectiveness, safety and quality as brand-name drugs.