Prednisolone

[Uglow]

This worries me see pic

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It was reported in MSM a week or so ago:

dailymail.co.uk/news/articl...

[Seacat30]

Oh dear! Which type is it? Have you got some saved up?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

If you don’t have enough you need to go back to GP snd ask for another Prescription you can take to different pharmacy.

[Uglow]

I have a 2 week supply am going to pharmacy today thanks

[Kendrew]

Just in case this is your pharmacy not understanding the new situation!

I posted this a couple of months ago.

1mg gastro-resistant pred....

Today I went down into my village to collect my prescription from that well-known high street chemist and was told gastro-resistant pred in 1mg tablets were now discontinued and would no longer be available... ever! I would either have to take ordinary pred 1mg with omeprazole or see GP for an alternative.

As you can imagine, I was somewhat perplexed by this news and quite frankly, didn't believe a word of it! So, I've just spent all afternoon 'investigating' this and here's what's really happening.

Phoenix Labs took over from Alliance Pharmaceuticals in 2020, (when many of you may remember we had a distribution problem then also) and they now manufacture these tablets.

I spoke to Ken Mcewan who is the Commercial Director of Phoenix Labs and he told me this:-

- the blister packs of gr pred-1mg are no longer being manufactured but some may still be circulating as their expiry date is April 2022. However, pots of 100 gr pred-1mg have now replaced them and all wholesalers were emailed at the end of Feb informing them of this change. They are available now and he gave me the PIP codes for pharmacies to order them should they not have them already.

He also said there are 3 main suppliers most chemists order from and here are their PIP codes:-

AAH - PRE1574M

ALLIANCE HEALTHCARE - 1252873

PHOENIX HEALTHCARE - 1252873

These may be helpful to give to your pharmacy should they have trouble ordering them for you.

Others may have further information to add but I didn't want anyone else to be told they're no longer available when quite clearly they are.

[Uglow in reply to Kendrew]

Thank you. Obviously I took my pharmacy at its word. But thank you for cleaning that up.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Kendrew]

Did you see my link? There is a supply chain problem for quite a few drugs, I'm afraid the link is the DM but the more reliable sources weren't free to air!

[Kendrew in reply to PMRpro]

Just picked it up. Not sure how I missed it though.That's pretty worrying!

I've just picked up my prescription without any issues...so far!🤞

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Kendrew]

It is a tad isn't it. Not just the supply chain aspect - the shortage of the components too.

[Kendrew in reply to PMRpro]

Not quite sure how we'd deal with the possibility of no availability on our pred. Not a sustainable situation but looking on the positive.....we're reasonably ok at moment but that can obviously change!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Kendrew]

Hopefully longterm patients will get priority ...

[Uglow in reply to PMRpro]

I didn’t see but am now up to speed. Thanks

[Bedwell]

OMG ! All we need to hear !!!

[Seacat30]

My sister just went to get her prescription for the medicine that she takes to reduce urinary urgency. She was told that they couldn't get any from the supplier and to ask her doctor to prescribe something different. She has rung round lots of pharmacies who all agree. Part of the same problem?

[Hidden]

Slightly different -constant symptom of Stills Disease is a very sore throat but it’s not infected. For the last 40+ years I’ve used various pharmacy only lozenges like Decquidin and Mericaine (spelling?).These have been discontinued and replaced with less effective things. My pharmacist says it’s because patients were relying on them instead of getting antibiotics. Ok so off to GP for antibiotics script that I don’t really need but do need something. Antibiotics give me Thrush which combined with Luchen Sclerosis and Interstitial Cystitis I don’t need. After all who can get to the loo that quickly with stiff knees and hips. Anyway it does seem like the pharmaceutical industry is in a dither at the moment. I collect my monthly script for HRT and pain relief for RA and pay but out of the blue and without requesting it a 3 month supply was delivered to my house the other day! I have no idea how this happened as I always pick them up and I haven’t paid either!

Most odd and moral dilemma- should I return them to the pharmacy or just be thankful I have 3 months stash?

[AshPen9]

I have just received my first ever supply of 1mg enteric coated pred. As I had read here about the problems, I quoted the PIP codes to the pharmacist. He said that he couldn't find anything with those codes, but I did get my pred. It's Phoenix Labs. I'm not very au fait with pharmaceutical stuff, and I'm not sure where to find the PIP code on the bottle. All I can see is what I think is the licence number, PL35104/0028. There is another number 20688314 on the bottle, but I thought that PIP codes were 7 digit. Sorry, this may be of no use at all to anyone, and indeed very confusing, but I just thought I'd mention it just in case!

[Hidden]

It should indeed, knew this would start to happen. When it becomes more common place you might start to get the picture why I am desperate to find a substitute which PMRpro rightly says there is none.

The only thing I have found that works at least pain wise is marijuana but can’t take that. All that inflammation causes damage regardless.

[Sharitone]

I had a bottle of 100x 1mg g/r (Phoenix labs) a month ago. It did take a week or so to arrive. This last time it was very quick and if there is a supply problem, I know why: Instead of 100 tablets, I was actually given 310, with each bottle carefully covered with a pharmacy label saying '30 tablets'. They won't take it back now that it's been out of their door, but I'll use it eventually, and at least it's saved the NHS a bit!