Complex and inflexible: the shortcomings of serious shortage protocols Use of ‘serious shortage protocols’ dropped significantly in 2022, despite growing numbers of medicine shortages, leaving pharmacists calling for the system to be overhauled.…
Shortage of cold and flu medicines increases pressure on pharmacies Community pharmacists are claiming the current medicine supply system is broken, as price concessions reach record levels.…
Two antivirals added to list of drugs that cannot be exported or hoarded The government added the antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir, used to treat flu, to the list on 20 December 2022.…
Private menopause clinics prescribing oestrogen at ‘twice the recommended dose’ Exclusive: Experts have raised concerns over "unorthodox" prescribing of HRT that may put women at a greater risk of cancer.…
Serious shortage protocols issued for three penicillin oral solutions Under the protocols, pharmacists are able to supply alternative strengths or tablets with immediate effect.…
Children can be given oral solid dose antibiotics amid supply problems, NHS guidance says NHS guidance says whole doses of solid oral dosage forms can be used 'off label' in place of oral suspensions.…
Department of Health to begin ‘emergency review’ of community pharmacy services in Northern Ireland The review will aim to define the services that can be “reliably delivered this winter”, the Department of Health said.…
Fixing the UK’s medicines shortage crisis As the UK’s medicine shortage crisis rumbles on, continuing to put patients at risk, we take a closer look at the suspected roots of the issue to identify four ways the problems could be fixed.…
Don’t dismiss fears over switching generics, take it from two cancer ‘thrivers’ Ruth Edwards and Avril Chester share their experience of the impact medicines shortages can have on people who rely on long-term medicines after cancer treatment.…
Drug shortages linked with medication errors, study results suggest Data from the French Pharmacovigilance Database show that medication errors were identified in 11% of the 462 cases mentioning a drug shortage.…
