National Shortage of Apixaban? (UK)

My local chemist says there is a national shortage of Apixaban and has only allowed me to have 7 days worth for now. She said there was a production problem, not sure the reason. Apparently there are stocks of 2.5mg and I might have to have those instead and, presumably, take twice as many. But that would be temporary, maybe they'll run out of those as well.

Might be worth getting your repeat prescription on order rather than leave it till the last minute like I did?

Maybe I should have stayed on Warfarin 🙄.

Koll

[BobD Volunteer]

These drug shortages are quite common. We had flecainide a while back and lots of other things sometimes go on shortage. It is just production schedules at the Pharma companies. We have several locally and even that doesn't help.

[10gingercats in reply to BobD]

This might, to some extent, be due to the way individual phamacists order/stock up.I notice if I use my preferred pharmacist I rarely have problems but with a popular high street chain they are always out of stock of a couple of items.

[rosyG]

thank you for letting us know Koll.

I had put in a prescription request online this morning so will let you know if I manage to get any!!

[CDreamer]

There seems to be a 'national shortage' of quite a few drugs - people on my other health forum are reporting shortages of generic forms of Pyridstigamine and a few other drugs. Nearly all my drugs need to be ordered so I am finding that it usually at least 5 days until I can get my prescription filled and often have to return. I wonder if it is cut backs in the NHS and payment delays to the pharmacies as I have had several pharmacists comment that they no longer keep stocks in. Now my drugs are pretty rare but I have heard other rather worrying reports regarding commonly prescribed meds.

Given our recent discussion on repeats prescriptions - even more reason to keep a reserve supply!

[PeterWh in reply to CDreamer]

See below.

[PeterWh]

Key is to keep on top of ordering. People could use this "delay" at pharmacy to get GPs to issue prescriptions two or three weeks before running out!!!!

At 7.30 pm Monday night ordered my new supplies (56 days worth) on line prescription request to GP. Delivered by pharmacy at 12.10pm Tuesday.

[CDreamer in reply to PeterWh]

As matter of interest where do live because mine would be a minimum of 2 days - if they were in stock - which they never are.

[PeterWh in reply to CDreamer]

Hertfordshire.

Never have a problem of something not being in stock.

It is a privately run group with 5 or 6 branches.

[PeterWh in reply to CDreamer]

That was an online prescription request to GP Monday evening.

[CDreamer in reply to PeterWh]

My online service take 2-5 days - the admin works perfectly but then the pharmacy needs to order the meds. It used to be next day until the CCG changed the criteria and everything slowed down and the pharmacy stopped stocking the meds and had to order them.

Also several pharmacies changed suppliers from the trademarked to the generic, this became a big problem with one med due to a) supply availability b) inferior manufacturing, so I changed pharmacy to Boots who consistently only provide me with the trademarked. The pharmacist said I shouldn't 'mix and match' brand and generic for one med and that was what was happening with anothe pharmacy and it was causing some side effects. The tablets wer also extremely crumbly and disintegrated with slightest humidity. Thankfully, it is a me the pharmacist can supply trademarked version without further consultation.

Your service sounds outstanding but it is noticeable in that London and Home Counties tend to receive better services generally.

[PeterWh in reply to CDreamer]

I think that it quite a lot to do with everyone in the chain embracing change from CCGs, consultants, GPs, pharmacies, patients, etc).

Here the CCG and certainly my GP practice is focussed very much on computerisation, modernisation and offering added value and efficient services. It is over three years ago (probably more) since the surgery offered "commuter" early morning slots starting at 7.00am and often up to 7.00pm and I think some up to 8.00pm. I know about 10 days after my ablation 18 months ago the locum GP phoned me and then wanted me to go down to the surgery for a check up at 8.10pm in the evening!!!

I think that here is a good mix of population from a lot of commuter to older people all of whom do want to do things on line.

See separate reply below re chemists.

[PeterWh in reply to CDreamer]

I understand they the GPs Partners and the Admin staff have an internal target of issuing 95% of requested repeat prescriptions within 24 hours and they try and issue within 6 working hour. If a person's nominated GP is in then they normally do it but if like mine who job shares then the other one does it on the days my GP is not in. They admirably cover holidays and illnesses. I would say most of mine by a long shot have been issued within 6 working hours.

[Stephanietee]

I live in a rural village where our practice has its own pharmacy but can only source from a limited choice. If they havnt got what you needitoo bad and you have to go to a bigger town. Fine if you are well and can drive which I can't and it is all very frightening.

Stephanietee

[PeterWh]

When there was a shortage of one of the drugs at the beginning of the year (although it didn't affect me) I happened to be in the chemist and the pharmacist was there and asked her about the shortage and about the fact that on HUL quite a lot of people said they always had to wait for the chemist to order in. The Pharmacist said that a large percentage of the people had signed up to GP's electronic ordering and some to the chemist's electronic system. This makes life much easier and ordering much more accurate since it means that they know the types and the number of the medicines they need regularly and then they make sure that they have plenty in stock a fortnight or so (sometimes a month) in advance. They also allow for additional supplies for those not registered electronically based on what the normal usage is from their records and taking into account seasonal variations. If they are running low on one particular thing in one of the 5 or 6 branches then they use one of their vans to deliver top ups to a branch (they are all within about 10 miles and 3 are within 5 miles).

It is always service with a smile!!!

I believe that they are very much on the ball because I have heard that the local Boots quite often has to order things in and that one of the other independent pharmacies also quite often has to order things in.