19 January 2024 , 12:44
750
0
Pharmacists have issued an updated warning over the UK medication shortage as more drugs become less accessible to patients.
Health professionals have stressed that medication including asthma, blood pressure and scabies, have been added to the growing list, which already featured ADHD, epilepsy and diabetes.
It comes as wholesalers are said to have sent an ‘out-of-stock bulletin’ to chemists which lists there are 70 products with no or limited supplies at this time. Experts said the current system is "unviable and broken" as they cited several reasons behind the mounting shortage.
Alwyn Fortune, of Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said the issues could be due to "manufacturing problems, key ingredients missing and global demand putting pressure on supplies." In a bid to overcome the shortage, doctors are swapping patients for alternative medicines, which has unfortunately caused a knock-on effect.
Health experts are calling for the government to tackle the "major concern" and said, "a simple regulatory change would save time for pharmacists, patients and GPs."
Cherished girl, 3, who spent half her life in hospital dies before surgery
Doctors said the shortage is a 'major concern' (Getty Images/iStockphoto)As doctors switch patients from the product in short supply to alternatives, this has a knock-on effect, leading to shortages of other drugs of the same type, reports Daily Mail. Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies (AIMP), commented: "‘The Government needs to resolve these problems and change the regulations so pharmacists can substitute some products themselves.
"For example, it is bonkers that we cannot give customers 10mg tablets and tell them to take two if a doctor has prescribed one 20mg tablet and we have run out. A simple regulatory change would save time for pharmacists, patients and GPs."
The full list of drugs include:
- ADHD - Elvanase 20mg
- Anti-inflammatory - Betnovate crm
- Anti-inflammatory - Betnovate oint
- Anti-inflammatory - Betnovate oint
- Anti-inflammatory - Hydrocortisone crm 1%
- Anti-inflammatory - Mometasone n/spray 50mcg
- Anti-sickness - Metoclopramide tab 10mg alm
- Antibiotic - Amoxicillin pdr vial 1g wck
- Antibiotic - Clarithromycin susp 125mg alm
- Antidepressant/anxiety - Mirtazapine tab 15mg alm
- Asthma - Montelukast FC tab 10mg alm
- Asthma - Salbutamol nebules 2.5mg
- Asthma - Salbutamol nebules 5mg
- Asthma - Soprobec (beclo) press inh 100mcg
- Constipation - Fybogel lemon sach 3500mg
- Constipation - Fybogel orange sach 3500mg
- Constipation - Fybogel plain sach 3500mg
- Constipation - Senokot syrup
- Constipation - Senokot syrup (p)
- Contraception - Levest 150
- Contraception - Noriday tab
- Dandruff- Nizoral spoo 20mg
- Decongestant - Avamys nasal spray
- Diabetes - Ozempic 1.0mg pre-filled pen -GB
- Diabetes - Tresiba FlexTouch 100u/ml - (GB)
- Diabetes - Victoza 6mg/ml sol for inj 2x3ml
- Epilepsy - Tegretol pr tab 200mg
- Epilepsy - Tegretol pr tab 400mg
- Epilepsy - Tegretol tab 200mg
- Eye lubricant - Carbomer gel 0.2%
- Eye lubricant - Clinitas carbomer 0.2% gel
- Eye lubricant - Geltears gel
- Eye lubricant -Hylo-night eye ointment pf
- Eye lubricant - Lumecare eye gel 0.2%
- Eye lubricant - Ocufresh carbomer 0.2% eye gel
- Eye lubricant - Pi geltears gel
- Eye lubricant- Thealoz duo
- Eye lubricant- Viscotears e/gel 0.2%
- Eye lubricant - Viscotears liq gel
- Heart disease- Candesartan tab 2mg
- Heartburn - Acidex adv oral susp aniseed
- Hemorrhoids - Cortopin Hydrocortisone crm 1%
- High blood pressure - Nebivolol tab 5mg alm
- High cholesterol - Ezetimibe tab 1omg
- High eye blood pressure - ey/drp soln 2%
- HRT - Estradot tts patch 1oomcg
- HRT - Estradot tts patch 50mcg
- HRT - Evorel 50 patch
- HRT - Evorel conti patch
- Nebuliser - Stem-neb saline 2.5ml
- Osteoporosis - Adcal d3 caplets
- Osteoporosi - Adcal 03 chewable tab
- Overactive bladder - Oxybutynin xl pr tab 5mg
- Overactive bladder - Solifenacin tab 5mg
- Painkiller - Co-codamol tab 15/500mg
- Painkiller - Voltarol emugel
- Painkiller - Solpadeine plus sol tab
- Painkiller - Voltarol emulgel
- Painkiller - Zapain capsules 30mg/500mg
- Pancreatic issues- Creon 10000 cap
- Pancreatic issues- Creon cap 25000 tub
- Potassium deficiency - Sando k eff tab
- Scabies - Lyclear dermal crm
- Scabies- Permethrin crm 5%
- Sodium deficiency - Slow-sodium tab 600mg
- Toothpaste - Duraphat 5000 single t' pst
- Travel sickness - Dexcel h&b
- Vitamin D deficiency - Valupak vitamin d3