Supply issues

Pharmacies told to order flu vaccines from more than one supplier to avoid shortages

The Welsh government has advised pharmacies to order flu vaccines from more than one supplier for the 2020/2021 flu season to avoid shortages.…

Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee adds five medicines to list of shortages

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee has added five medicine shortages to its list of notifactions from the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, bringing the total to 21 medicines shortages in the UK.…

Adrenaline auto-injectors to be imported from Austria to mitigate supply issues

The manufacturers of an adrenaline auto-injector have been given permission to import stock from Austria following a supply issue in the UK.…

Pharmacists in devolved nations can follow serious shortage protocols from 31 October 2019

Legislation enabling the use of serious shortage protocols in Scotland will come into effect from 31 October 2019, the Scottish government has said.…

UPS one of three companies awarded government contracts for ‘express’ medicines delivery service

The delivery company UPS is one of three transport firms to be given contracts worth £25m to ensure medicines can be delivered quickly if Brexit goes ahead at the end of October 2019.…

Government spends £87m on contracts to deliver extra freight capacity for no-deal Brexit

The government has signed contracts with four transport companies worth £87m in total, which it says will help to ensure the continued supply of medicines.…

Wholesalers ‘hoarding’ medicines could face criminal charges, says government

Wholesale dealer licence holders could face criminal charges if they hoard certain medicines that have been placed under restrictions by the government, guidance published by the Department of Health and Social Care states.…

Government issues first serious shortage protocols to combat shortages of fluoxetine

The government has issued the first serious shortage protocols to combat shortages of the antidepressant fluoxetine.…

Some strengths of fluoxetine unavailable until December 2019

Manufacturing issues affecting the supply of the antidepressant fluoxetine mean that some strengths may not be available until December 2019, the Department of Health and Social Care has warned.…

More than a quarter of medicines yet to be stockpiled for no-deal Brexit

More than a quarter (28%) of medicine product lines do not have a six-week stockpile of medicines in preparation for a no-deal Brexit, according to figures given to the National Audit Office by the Department for Health and Social Care.…