Apixaban shortage?

[Samazeuilh2]

I went to collect my monthly prescription this afternoon but was not able to obtain Apixaban (5mg). The pharmacist was not very clear on what the problem was, but said “it doesn’t just affect us”. I will be given some 2.5mg tablets tomorrow. Does anyone know if there is a national shortage or some sort of supply problem? It’s worrying when such an important medicine is difficult to obtain.

[BobD Volunteer]

This sort of thing is not uncommon mainly due to the logistics of the way pharma companies operate. They tend to make batches of a product. clear the line and then switch to a different product etc. If demand hits a high when stocks are low this happens. I can think of at least five drugs this year which have suffered in this way but it is almost always a very short term problem. The secret is to always put in your repeat prescription almost as soon as you have collected your previous months.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to BobD]

At our surgery we're not allowed to ask for a repeat prescription more than 10 days before the medication is due.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to jeanjeannie50]

If I waited that long here I would be in deep doo doo. The system is dreadful and unless I give them at least a fortnight I end up waiting for hours. Mind you it may be getting better since Lloyds packed up.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to BobD]

I have to say that I find Boots service really good. I think because they're such a large company, suppliers of drugs look after them well. X

[wilsond in reply to BobD]

Yes Lloyd started out from my home town. Agreed ,much better now.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to BobD]

My surgery reject the prescription request if before 10 days due. In the past I've argued with the receptionist and proved her calculation was wrong. All ordering is done online now and if rejected you're not told unless you look on their website. If going on holiday, you have to say and they will allow an early request. Oh for the days when we spoke to a human.

[SuziElley in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Same here jeanjeannie

[waveylines in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Same for my surgery too Jean.....lol. have to order on nhs app....& that blocks u until 10days before.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to waveylines]

I use that App too. It's far easier than the docs surgery AP.

[Terriersgalore in reply to BobD]

They won’t let us do that in our GP practice. They send it back, saying it’s too early.

[bantam12]

My last Apixaban prescription took a while to be done because they couldn’t get Eliquis so I was given Sandoz brand instead. There wasn’t any report online of shortages.

[Samazeuilh2 in reply to bantam12]

Is there a website where information on medicine shortages is provided?

[bantam12 in reply to Samazeuilh2]

There are several websites, cpe.org.uk is one of them.

[Samazeuilh2 in reply to bantam12]

Thanks!

[wilsond]

We had it a few months back. Asked to take just one weeks supply until stock back in. As Bob says though,we work on a month in advance,so always a good supply.

[opal11uk]

All I can tell you is that earlier this year Disopyramide, a drug I had taken for 20 years, stop being produced, I contacted every pharmacy and then the Manufacturers themselves my cardio then replaced them with Propanefon! I would also add that there are quite a few pharmacies closing which won't help.

[Tencommandments]

ya wait till trump gets into White House and Kennedy takes on the drug manufacturers, you’ll see wait times and drug shortages more and more..heaven help us all..and costs will sky rocket. But you guys voted for him..good luck.

[Soundmike in reply to Tencommandments]

I didn't for Starmer either, can't wait to see what crack pot scheme he comes up with next.

[wilsond in reply to Tencommandments]

No I didn't and share your horror

[BrotherThomas]

Like Jean, my surgery will only accept a request for meds 20 days after the last issue. When I start a new med,I reorder every 20 days until I have a buffer stock of 3 months then I revert to ordering once a month. That way I have no problems with temporary shortages of any of my meds. It helps with the fact that drugs are normally packaged as a 28 day supply but months have more days in them.

[Terriersgalore in reply to BrotherThomas]

In effect, we get 13 prescriptions a year. I hate it when they cut off two tablets of a 30 pack to make it 28. I hate it even more when, down the line, you get lots of little cut offs in your script. 😡

[BrotherThomas in reply to Terriersgalore]

I couldn't agree more. It seems that the rule is whatever causes the most inconvenience to NHS customers.

[pusillanimous]

Gosh, after reading these comments I feel really spoiled! I have an account with my pharmacist, so I just email them on the day I want my drugs and which ones I need, and a young man on a motor cycle arrives at my door with a brown paper bag containing my 'order'!

[waveylines]

A lot of the drug shortage is due to the nhs lowering the prices they're prepared to pay for medications to the suppliers. This often means preference is given elsewhere as they make better profit. So by the time they get to supply us if stock is low there is insufficient. This is what my pharmacist told me.

[Soundmike]

Don't know about a shortage but my apixiban has recently changed from eliquis to sandoz.

[dunestar]

My Boots pharmacy has always put together my order very quickly which comes automatically from the surgery next door. However on my last visit the pharmacist said they would need much longer to process orders. I don't know whether it's shortages or whether they are not holding so much stock.

[Terriersgalore in reply to dunestar]

We have to allow 5 working days for our script to be processed, so in effect a full week.

[Qualipop]

My local chemist phones me 7 days before my prescription is due to tall me to order it. That gives the GP a couple of days to authorise it and a few days for the chemist to order and get a delivery which they bring to nmy house on day 7. Sometimes an item is out of stock. If I have no spares I have to ring round every pharmacy in town in the hope that someone has some in stock then contact the GP to send a new prescription to tide me over. The biggest problem is my oxycodone which I can't do without, not only because of the pain but also withdrawal effects. I'm allergic to all the generics so it has to be the branded variety which can mean trying to track down one bottle here, one bottle there. Very stressful as it's not something most places keep in stock. This week they didn't have enough of one other item and only brought half but they delivered the rest 2 days later.

[dunestar in reply to Qualipop]

Not an ideal situation at all. I get the idea things are teetering on the edge of breaking down.

[Qualipop in reply to dunestar]

I believe I heard that an enquiry had been started into the delays and shortages but haven't seen anything lately.

[DiyChas]

Having read the replies, I'm glad to be in Ontario Canada, except for the brown paper bag deliveries.We can get all dtugs 2-3 days days early but no online service.

The problem with Eliquis is drug companies want Apixaban (the generic) instead, as it is much less expensive.

[LaceyLady]

I’ve just ordered some, pharmacist not mentioned a problem