Quotas from drug manufacturers

[Suegol]

I went to pick up my Eltoxin Liquid repeat prescription to find that the distributer to my pharmacist said that it was outside the quota. I checked and I am the only patient on liquid Eltroxin with that pharmacy. I had to wait 4 days until 1st July before they would deliver it. The quota is set by the manufacturer, I was told. I thought supply to the NHS was guarenteed before stocks were sold, inside or outside the sterling area. Any one else have this problem? I live in south west London. Suegol

[helvella Administrator]

Mercury Pharma are not the manufacturers!

The patient Information Leaflet says:

Manufacturer

FAMAR NETHERLANDS BV,

Bladel Production Site, Industrieweg 1, 5531 AD

medicines.org.uk/emc/medici...

If you are unhappy, I suggest that you contact Mercury and the MHRA. Or even the manufacturers.

Rod

[Suegol in reply to helvella]

Thanks Rod. I'll see what I can do with the pharmacist. I also found this site.

psnc.org.uk/pages/manufactu...

[helvella Administrator in reply to Suegol]

Well found.

Looks to me as if they only want to hear from pharmacies. Still, worth a go, and maybe the pharmacy would also fill that form in.

[helen0701]

A quota is set when there are shortages of a drug this is to ensure that what stocks there are are distributed evenly round the country. It is not because the medicine is being sold abroad

[Hidden in reply to helen0701]

Certain products are sometimes sold abroad, but not levothyroxine.

[Suegol]

Two points. How come shortages in the amount of drug when the number of scripts and amount of drug is known once the first script is written and filled. I am the only patient at the pharmacy that has liquid eltroxin, what am I supposed to do should the repeat script not be issued as too early and the quota is filled for my area of South West London? or my pharmacy? leaving me without the drug? Hey ho for patient centred care? I find this threatening, frightening, I really don't do well without it! It is a relief to be able to express this ongoing background fear. Thanks Helen and Folks.

[Hidden in reply to Suegol]

Hi,

>How come shortages in the amount of drug when the number of scripts and amount of drug is known

Pharmaceutical companies do attempt to 'forecast' the amount of product which will be prescribed based on previous sales and other factors. The number of prescriptions which will be written in the future can never be known - it can only be estimated. Unfortunately, Mercury pharmaceuticals are not a particularly reliable supplier!

>what am I supposed to do should the repeat script not be issued as too early and the quota is filled for my area of South West London?

There is never a quota for an area. Wholesalers often set quotas for individual pharmacies, for certain products only. You always have the option of trying a different pharmacy. Eltroxin liquid is available from two wholesalers only (AAH and Alliance) but not all pharmacies have an account with both.

TEVA pharmaceuticals now market levothyroxine oral solution. Although not branded as Eltroxin, it is actually the same product as Eltroxin inside the bottle. Both medicines are manufactured by Farmar Netherlands ie. both Mercury pharma and TEVA use the same contract manufacturer.

[Suegol in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Bobbin2, that's really useful

Sugol

[Suegol]

Thanks Helen. I also found this site.

psnc.org.uk/pages/manufactu...

I really must stop feeling threatened. It does not help.