Serious shortage of some medicines.

[Samazeuilh2]

There is an article in today’s Guardian which refers to a serious shortage of some medicines: “Medicine shortages in England ‘beyond critical’, pharmacists warn.” No heart medications are mentioned in the article, but I wondered if anyone had experienced problems obtaining any of their regular heart medicines such as sotalol, flecainide, bisoprolol etc., or any of the anticoagulants?

[CDreamer]

Not recently but my husband takes Dabigatran which nearly always has multiple difficulties as many of the large multiple pharmacies won’t stock it.

I’ve had a difficulties with Pyridostigamine - one very serious national one some years ago when all of the manufacturers of the generic form stopped production at the same time! It took CEO of major charity speaking to the Health Minister to allow GP to prescribe the brand which was £8 a bottle more expensive!

There is nothing new here except, on top of all the usual breaks in supply, Brexit has meant new beaurocracy for importing into Uk from Europe makes it a very difficult and expensive process.

[Desanthony]

So far not had any problems with my medications. Though I have started to put in my repeat prescriptions earlier as quite often when I wait the few days for the repeat prescription to be filled I still have to wait a day or so longer for one or other of the medications. It seems that our pharmacy often has to try more than one suppliers to get supplies where they used to just use the one supplier. My wife is getting all sorts of different makes for her asthma medication. so far she has not had a problem with the different makes. We do find that we have to check the use by dates as because the medication can come from a few different suppliers we find that the use by date on the newer item is actually earlier than the one we already have - with Asthma medication especially she has a couple of inhalers in handbag, gym bag, and bedside table drawer so that there is always one close at hand. Back when Brexit actually hit she did have problems with one medication but luckily as it had been difficult to get that medication before as one of the UK makers stopped making it she always held a couple of months supply. It was a weird situation she had to take 4 tablets a day and the boxescontained 15 tablets - so a months supply was a lot of boxes!

[CDreamer]

If you want up to date info I suggest you visit Community Pharmacy England site (cpe.org.uk) for specific info. Their site describes the issue as ‘a daily struggle’. The NHS site also has a drug shortages page.

Part of the issue is also there is not enough time between you ordering the drugs, being signed off at the surgery and received by Pharmacy to be sourced and ordered in. The GP surgery says ‘allow 3-4 working days’. Our Pharmacy says - ‘allow 5-10 working days’. This is really difficult when you are restricted to not being able to reorder repeat prescriptions until a week before you run out. I and my husband have both managed to build up a small stockpile as we have both been caught out.

Amiodarone was short a month or so ago but Pharmacy managed to fulfil the order in about 10 days.

My best advice given to me was to use a small independent Pharmacy near to you who works with your surgery. The staff get to know you and you them. The advantage of small independents is that they can source from multiple wholesalers, as long as they stay within the NHS specified cost price. Unfortunately drugs are going up because of the beaurocracy and NHS costs are not 🙆‍♂️ - hence independents are going out of business, especially in our area. There was a local TV news item on the problem.

This problem is multi layered and rather worrying.

[10gingercats in reply to CDreamer]

Thank you C. Dreamer. That is very useful information. I was told a few weeks ago by our practice phamacist I was ordering meds too soon!So I can throw this back at him!

[CDreamer in reply to 10gingercats]

That will be because the local Commissioning Group are trying to budget and are not allowing for the delays in the system. The general rule is that you cannot order before 7 days before you are due to run out - but that’s obviously too late!

The work around is at some point - ask practice prescribers to give you one prescription early because you are going on holiday and will run out of your meds so need to take the meds with you - that’s always worked for me. That way you can very gradually build in a 2-3 week stock pile.

[Buffafly in reply to CDreamer]

My pharmacy (Morrison’s) states that you must order at least 7 weekdays before the prescription is needed because several local pharmacies are shut and they can’t keep up. I had a lecture from the pharmacist last time because I’d ordered 5 days before I ran out and she filled my prescription early for me as a special favour……This time I ordered about three weeks in advance but my prescription still wasn’t ready when I went to collect - maybe because of the ‘7 day rule?’

[DevonHubby1 in reply to CDreamer]

Wife gets her batch prescription done once a year soon after her annual check up. Works well providing no meds or doses change. Pharmacy then dishes out meds on a 4 week basis.

[pusillanimous in reply to CDreamer]

Although I'm not NHS but in South Africa, I always support my local independent pharmacy, rather than the Chains that the Medical Aid Societies do deals with. It may cost a little more, but the pharmacist always makes sure my medication is in stock and provided my prescription which he holds, is up to date (I have to see my doctor every six months for renewal) - all I need to do is to send an email each month when I'm ready for it, and it is delivered to my door. I firmly believe in supporting Independent traders.

[BobD Volunteer]

Logistics problems in the industry are very common I'm afraid. Just about everything has been on back order at some time in the last ten years. It may be a particular make of drug or dose size or a complete family of drugs.

It arises from the manufacturing process. Most makers seem to run a line with one drug for a period, clean it down and run another etc and if there is a high demand for "your" drug there can be delays.

[opal11uk]

Yes, Disopyramide, a drug I had been on for many years, so I had to change to another. I personally am anxious about this lack of drugs because I feel it can only get worse. Sadly most of us now are drug dependant soooooooo not a good outlook if this carried on is it.

[hausjac]

yes Disopyramide a drug I’ve been taking for nearly 40 years often has production problems. I recently sourced it from friends in France until it came back on line. But they were telling me they were having similar problems in France as well with a drug they were taking so can’t blame that on Brexit

[Thomas45]

I've never had any problems with supply of medication, but it's a topic that is raised here from time to time, over at least the last decade.

[PAP48]

Not heart medicines that I’m aware of but I do know there’s a shortage of Salbutamol for a nebuliser. I was warned about it by my Consultant so ordered some on my next prescription and the pharmacy had none and couldn’t get any.

[Speed]

No material delays. I have 4 standard meds which, after an annual review (blood tests / telephone appointment) I get 1yrs prescription against which I can call off 2 months at a time through my mobile app via Lloyds on line pharmacy. Usually arrives by Royal Mail within 4 working days though occasionally a short delay on one of the drugs, usually Flecainide, may hold up the whole batch. However, I can request they send in separate batches.

[Qualipop]

I've got my heart meds ok but can't get eye ointment for dry eyes and had trouble last year getting oxynorm. My husband can't get two of his eye drops for glaucoma which are essential. The Government promised to address this problem urgently ,months ago.

[Samazeuilh2 in reply to Qualipop]

Not Viscotears for dry eyes by any chance? They are made in Germany. The lack of glaucoma medication must be particularly worrying

[Qualipop in reply to Samazeuilh2]

NO, I've used Hylo NIght for years. It lasts much longer. Have had to change to Xailin for 3 months now. His chemist is hoping his glaucoma drops might come Monday but I'm not at all sure and they are absolutely essential, every single day. There may be alternatives but we don't know. Trouble is everyone tries to get the alternatives so they also end up out of stock. I'm allergic to all generic brands of oxynorm and having been on it for 30 years there's no way I can stop without very dangerous withdrawal effects. I did find just one brand I can just about tolerate for a few days but with bad side effects. The government picked up on this problem absolutely months ago but have done nothing.

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

B12 in Solgar is not coming into NZ. I have had to source it from Naturius NZ. It came direct from Switzerland!

Just as I was put on Diltiazem CCB 120mg, NZ dropped 30mg and 60mg. And the manufacture changed to ACCORD. And ACCORD is NOT under the safety regime.

Then about 9 months later the original Diltiazem came back. Over that time my h/rate day was 86-96bpm and it returned with the original manufacture to 60s day. Or was it because I lost 3kg and then another 3kg?

It is scary stuff especially when we rely on our meds and we can't have an ablation.

I have 3 monthly supply written on my prescription.

cheri JOY. 75. (NZ)