Accord’s phenytoin sodium 100mg capsules out of stock until early May 2020

The pharmaceutical manufacturer Accord has said that its phenytoin sodium NRIM 100mg capsules, used for the management of epilepsy, will be out of stock until early May 2020.

In a supply alert issued to pharmacists on 10 January 2020 by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Accord said that the disruption was due to ”a regulatory change at their manufacturing site”.

The drug is used for the control of tonic-clonic seizures, partial seizures or a combination of the two.

Phenytoin is a category 1 anti-epileptic, meaning patients should not usually be switched between different manufacturers of the drug.

However, the DHSC said in the alert that patients who require switching as a result of the supply disruption should be prescribed Flynn Pharma Ltd’s phenytoin sodium 100mg capsules.

The alert also advised healthcare professionals to monitor patients closely during the switching period.

Patients who cannot be switched to Flynn Pharma Ltd’s version may be considered for an alternative licensed phenytoin formulation, the DHSC said, but advised that care shoud be taken where dosage forms are changed.

Disruption to the supply of phenytoin sodium 100mg capsules comes after the DHSC announced a supply issue affecting all strengths of Convulex (valproic acid) capsules on 23 December 2019, resulting from a pack size update, which is expected to continue until April 2020.