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A prescription-only process for EpiPen 0.3mg adrenaline autoinjectors has been issued, meaning that patients are limited to a maximum of two per prescription.
The measures have been put in place following manufacturing shortages at Mylan’s manufacturing partner Meridian Medical Technologies, a subsidiary of Pfizer that manufactures EpiPen.
The shortages resulted in interruption in the production of EpiPen Junior 0.15mg and EpiPen 0.3mg adrenaline autoinjectors.
This prescription-only process does not apply to EpiPen Junior.
On 17 June 2019, the National Pharmacy Association laid out key information and steps for pharmacists to take following the implementation of the prescription-only process, including ensuring that all members of the pharmacy team understand the new measures, and that all patients, parents or carers with queries about adrenaline are referred to the pharmacist.
EpiPens were rationed in 2018 to tackle a “critical” shortage but, in November 2018, the government announced that the supply of adrenaline auto-injectors had returned to normal.
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