Medicines shortages

Second ADHD medication shortage leaves patients in ‘very difficult position’, pharmacists warn

A medicine supply notification warned that atomoxetine 40mg and 60mg capsules will be out of stock until September 2023…

Pharmacy teams told to ‘urgently’ order unlicensed imports of chemotherapy drugs in shortage warning

Exclusive: A ‘Tier 3 — high impact’ alert has been issued for the platinum-based chemotherapy agents cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin.…

Record number of items dispensed using serious shortage protocols during penicillin shortage

Exclusive: Community pharmacists dispensed almost 13,000 items using a serious shortage protocol in December 2022, nearly double that of the previous peak.…

National patient safety alert issued for GLP-1 receptor agonists

The alert warns healthcare providers not to switch between brands or double up on lower-dose preparations when the higher dose is unavailable.…

Negotiators warn statin shortage is having ‘serious impact’ on pharmacies as price spikes

Pharmacy owners have reported “desperately trying to get hold of limited stock” of atorvastatin, while having to pay inflated prices for it, according to pharmacy bodies.…

Government declares ‘national shortage’ of GLP-1 receptor agonists for type 2 diabetes until 2024

The government attributed the shortages to “an increase in demand for these products for licensed and off-label indications”.…

Weight loss drug semaglutide added to list of medicines that cannot be exported or ‘hoarded’

The list contains products that meet the needs of UK patients but may contribute to medicines shortages if they were exported.…

Anti-epileptic shortages are ‘concerning’, patient support organisations say

The Department of Health and Social Care has confirmed that packs of Trileptal 300mg and 600mg tablets will be unavailable from late June 2023 until mid-July 2023.…

Rise in pharmacists reporting patient safety risks from medicines shortages, shows survey

Exclusive: Results of The Pharmaceutical Journal's 2023 salary and job satisfaction survey have revealed 57% of pharmacists say medicines shortages have put patients at risk in the past six months.…

Designing a more resilient system for medicines supply in the UK

Pharmacists attending a roundtable hosted by The Pharmaceutical Journal called for a new system to share the latest information and guidance on managing the growing number of medicine shortages facing the NHS.…

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