Is YOUR prescription in danger of running out? As pharmacists warn of running out of supplies, the definitive guide to affected medications

Pharmacists have warned that a shortage of common medicines is putting patients at risk, with shelves for medicines from HRT to diabetes left empty. But is your prescription at risk? See our definitive guide below…

How many products are experiencing a supply shortage?

An “out of stock” bulletin sent by wholesalers to pharmacies and shared exclusively with the Post shows that there are currently 70 products that are currently out of stock or in limited supply. These include hormone replacement therapies (HRT) and medications for ADHD, diabetes and epilepsy.

The list shows that while manufacturers hope to have some products back in stock by the end of the month, it is unlikely that some products will be back on shelves until December. Worryingly, others are stated as having ‘no availability date’.

How widespread is the problem and how dangerous is it?

A recent survey of 1,650 people by patient watchdog Healthwatch England found that 24 percent were unable to get prescribed medicines because their pharmacy was empty.

An ‘out of stock’ bulletin sent by wholesalers to pharmacies and shared exclusively with the Post reveals that there are currently 70 products that are currently out of stock or in limited stock

Dr. Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, said: ‘As pharmacists we are concerned that shortages of some of these medicines are impacting on patient safety by affecting their treatment, and in some cases causing delays in their treatment , or, as some patients report, their symptoms return when they can’t get their medications.”

What can patients do if they cannot get their medicine?

Dr. Hannbeck told the Mail that pharmacists did their best to source medicines but regularly found that all wholesalers had sold out of some items.

Dr. Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies

She added: ‘Patients can visit different pharmacies to find their medicine, but if they don’t get it, they will have to return to their doctor to ask for a new prescription for an alternative medicine.

‘They should not be tempted to go to illegitimate sources online as these can be dangerous.

‘The government must solve these problems and change regulations so that pharmacists can replace some products themselves.

‘For example, it’s strange that we can’t give customers 10 mg tablets and tell them to take two when a doctor has prescribed one 20 mg tablet and we run out of tablets. A simple change in regulations would save pharmacists, patients and GPs time.’

What causes the shortages?

Dr. Hannbeck said they are fueled by a “broken” supply chain, unable to cope when demand for a drug rises or a factory experiences production problems.

Alwyn Fortune, policy and engagement lead for Wales at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said the reasons for shortages are ‘wide and varied’ and could be due to ‘production issues, missing key ingredients and global demand putting pressure on supplies’ .

When doctors switch patients from the product in short supply to alternatives, it has a domino effect, leading to shortages of other medicines of the same type.

Celebrity-backed campaigns around menopause have led to a rise in demand for HRT, and some products have seen production delays.

NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care published a National Patient Safety Alert earlier this month regarding a shortage of ‘glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists’.

The range of drugs help control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes, but there is a wave of doctors prescribing them to people who don’t have the disease but want to use the jabs to promote weight loss.

An increase in the number of ADHD diagnoses has also put pressure on the supply of medications that treat the condition.

Prescriptions are out of stock or running low in England
Type of medicine Description Mate Supplier Deadline
ADHD ELVANS 20MG 28 TAKEDA (SOLUS) ALLFS LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
IGNITION POWER BETNOVATE CRM 1 GLAXOSMITHKLINE UK LTD LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
IGNITION POWER BETNOVATE OOINT 1 GLAXOSMITHKLINE UK LTD LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
IGNITION POWER BETNOVATE OOINT 1 GLAXOSMITHKLINE UK LTD EXPECTED W/E 17/02/2024
IGNITION POWER HYDROCORTISONE CRM 1% 1 STRIDES PHARMA (UK) LTD NO AVAILABILITY DATE
IGNITION POWER MOMETASONE N/SPRAY 50MCG ALM 1 ALMUS PHARMACEUTICALS LTD EXPECTED JANUARY 2024
ANTI-DISEASE METOCLOPRAMIDE TAB 10MG ALM 28 ALMUS PHARMACEUTICALS LTD EXPECTED EARLY JANUARY 2024
ANTIBIOTICS AMOXICILLIN PDR VIAL 1G WCK 1 WOCKHARDT AMB ETH (MOV) EXPECTED MID-JANUARY 2024
ANTIBIOTICS CLARITHROMYCIN SUSP 125MG ALM 1 ALMUS PHARMACEUTICALS LTD LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
ANTIDEPRESSANTS/ANXIETY MIRTAZAPINE OD TAB 15MG ALM 30 ALMUS PHARMACEUTICALS LTD EXPECTED JANUARY 2024
ASTHMA MONTELUKAST FC TAB 10MG ALM 28 ALMUS PHARMACEUTICALS LTD NO AVAILABILITY DATE
ASTHMA SALBUTAMOLNEBULES 2.5MG 20 ACCORD UK LTD(TENDER) LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
ASTHMA SALBUTAMOLNEBULES 5MG 20 ACCORD UK LTD(TENDER) LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
ASTHMA SOPROBEC (BECLO) PRESSURE CONTENT 100MCG 1 GLENMARK HOSPITAL NO AVAILABILITY DATE
CONSTIPATION FYBOGEL CITROENSACH 3500MG 60 HEALTH PRODUCTS FORUM (DHLT) IMMEDIATE AVAILABILITY
CONSTIPATION FYBOGEL ORANGE BAG 3500MG 60 HEALTH PRODUCTS FORUM (DHLT) IMMEDIATE AVAILABILITY
CONSTIPATION FYBOGEL CLEAR SACH 3500MG 60 HEALTH PRODUCTS FORUM (DHLT) IMMEDIATE AVAILABILITY
CONSTIPATION SENOKOT SYRUP 1 HEALTH PRODUCTS FORUM (DHLT) IMMEDIATE AVAILABILITY
CONSTIPATION SENOKOT SYRUP (P) 1 RECKITT BENCKISER HâCARE LTD EXPECTED FEBRUARY 24
CONTRACEPTION LEVEL 150/30 63 MORNINGSIDE PHARMA (ALLCO) NO AVAILABILITY DATE
CONTRACEPTION NORIDAY TAB 84 PFIZER LTD NEXT DELIVERY FEBRUARY 24
ROSE NIZORAL SPOO 20MG/ML 1 THORNTON & ROSS LTD (ALLT) LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
DECONGESTANT AVAMYS NOSE SPRAY 120 GLAXOSMITHKLINE UK LTD LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
DIABETES OZEMPIC 1.0MG PRE-FILLED PEN – GB 1 NOVO NORDISK (ALLFS) LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
DIABETES TRESIBA FLEXTOUCH 100U/ML – (NL) 5 NOVO NORDISK (ALLFS) NO DATA AVAILABLE
DIABETES VICTOZA 6MG/ML SOL FOR INJ 2X3ML – GB 2 NOVO NORDISK (ALLFS) EXPECTED MID TO LATE 202?
EPILEPSY TEGRETOL PR-TAB 200MG 56 NOVARTIS ESTABLISHED BRANDS LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
EPILEPSY TEGRETOL PR-TAB 400MG 56 NOVARTIS ESTABLISHED BRANDS LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
EPILEPSY TEGRETOL TAB 200MG 84 NOVARTIS ESTABLISHED BRANDS LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
EYE LUBRICANT CARBOMERGEL 0.2% 1 SIGMA NO AVAILABILITY DATE
EYE LUBRICANT CLINITAS CARBOMER 0.2% GEL 1 ALTACOR LTD (UDG) EXPECTED W/E 06/12/2024
EYE LUBRICANT GELTEARS GEL 1 BAUSCH & LOMB PHARMS EXPECTED MID-JANUARY 2024
EYE LUBRICANT HYLO-NACHT EYE OINTMENT PF 1 SCOPE OPHTHALMICS LTD LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
EYE LUBRICANT LUMECARE EYE GEL 0.2% 1 MEDICOM HCARE (ETHICAL)(MPWT) NO AVAILABILITY DATE
EYE LUBRICANT OCUFRESH CARBOMER 0.2% EYE GEL 1 MOBIUS HEALTHCARE LTD (ETHICALS) LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
EYE LUBRICANT PI GELTEARS GEL 1 OTC DIRECT (PI’S) LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
EYE LUBRICANT THEALOZ DUO 1 THEA PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS (MPWFS) LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
EYE LUBRICANT VISCOTAREN E/GEL 0.2% SDU 30 BAUSCH & LOMB PHARMS INTERMITTENT DELIVERY
EYE LUBRICANT VISCOTEARS LIQ GEL 1 BAUSCH & LOMB PHARMS LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
HEART DISEASE KANDESARTAN TAB 2MG 28 CRESCENT PHARMA LTD NO AVAILABILITY DATE
GASTRIC ACID ACIDEX ADV ORAL SUSP ANISE SEED 1 WOCKHARDT AMB RWA ALLOGA EXPECTED END OF JANUARY 2024
HEMORRHOIDS CORTOPIN HYDROCORTISONE CRM 1% 1 PINEWOOD HEALTHCARE (MOV) NO AVAILABILITY DATE
HIGH BLOODPRESSURE NEBIVOLOL TAB 5MG ALM 28 ALMUS PHARMACEUTICALS LTD EXPECTED EARLY JANUARY 2024
HIGH CHOLESTEROL EZETIMIBE TAB 1OMG 28 ZENTIVA PHARMA UK TENDER LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IN THE EYES DORZOLAMIDE EY/DRP SOLN 2% 1 KNOWS PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS EXPECTED FEB 2024
HST ESTRADOT TTS PATCH 1OOMCG 8 SANDOZ LTD (ETH) (ALLT) LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
HST ESTRADOT TTS PATCH 50MCG 8 SANDOZ LTD (ETH) (ALLT) LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
HST EVOREL 50 PATCH 8 THERAMEX UK (MOVFS) EXPECTED END OF JUNE 2024
HST EVOREL CONTI PATCH 8 THERAMEX UK (MOVFS) EXPECTED JUNE 2024
Atomizer STEM-NEB SALINE 2.5ML TEVA 20 TEVA UK LTD (MERICATED GENERICA) NO AVAILABILITY DATE
OSTEOPOROSIS ADCAL D3 CAPLETS 112 KYOWA KIRIN INT NEWCO UK LTD(ALLFS) LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
OSTEOPOROSIS ADCAL 03 CHEWABLE TAB 56 KYOWA KIRIN INT NEWCO UK LTD(ALLFS) LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
OVERACTIVE BLADDER OXYBUTYNIN XL PR-TAB 5MG 28 ACCORD UK LTD(TENDER) LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
OVERACTIVE BLADDER SOLIFENACIN TAB 5MG 30 CRESCENT PHARMA LTD EXPECTED W/E 12/01/2024
PAINKILLER CO-CODAMOL TAB 15/500MG 100 ZENTIVA PHARMA UK TENDER NO AVAILABILITY DATE
PAINKILLER PI VOLTAROL EMUGEL 1 OTC DIRECT (PIâS) LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
PAINKILLER SOLPADEINE PLUS SOL TAB 32 OMEGA PHARMA LIMITED NO AVAILABILITY DATE
PAINKILLER VOLTAROL EMULGEL 1 HALEON UK TRADING LIMITED LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
PAINKILLER ZAPAIN CAPSULES 30MG/500MG 50 AMDIPHARM LIMITED NO AVAILABILITY DATE
PAINKILLER ZAPAIN TABLETS 30/500MG 50 AMDIPHARM LIMITED NO AVAILABILITY DATE
PANCREATIC PROBLEMS CREON 10000 CAP 100 VIATRIS UK HEALTHCARE (ALLT) LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
Pancreatic problems CREON CAP 25000 TUB 100 VIATRIS UK HEALTHCARE (ALLT) LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
POTASSIUM deficiency SANDO K EFF TAB 100 ALTURIX NO AVAILABILITY DATE
SCABIES LYCLEAR DERMALE CRM 1 OMEGA FARMA EXPECTED MID MARCH
SCABIES PERMETHRIN CRM 5% 1 SANDOZ LTD (CPG) LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
SODIUM DEFICIENCY SLOW SODIUM TAB 600MG 100 ALTURIX NO AVAILABILITY DATE
TOOTHPASTE DURAPHAT 5000 T’PST ONLY 1 COLGATE PALMOLIVE (RMT) LTD. (DHL) IMMEDIATE AVAILABILITY
MOTION SICKNESS KWELLS 12 DEXCEL H&B LIMITED OFFER ONGOING
VAGINAL APPLICATOR REPLENSMD REUSABLE APPLICATOR 1 CHURCH & DWIGHT UK LTD. EXPECTED END JANUARY 24TH
VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY VALUPAK VITAMIN D3 1000IU 60 BR PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS NO AVAILABILITY DATE

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