MP has reply from Minister Andrea Leadsom on supply of Vencamil

[Regenallotment]

My MP has just forwarded this to me. While there is nothing here we don’t already know it’s really REALLY good to have a letter that dates what the GPs and pharmacies must do for those of us with allergies to ingredients.

Dear MP name

Thank you for your correspondence of 18 March on behalf of your constituent Ms xxxx xxxxx about medicine supply.

I am grateful to you for raising Ms xxxxx concerns.

Medicine supply problems may be caused by several factors, including manufacturing difficulties, regulatory problems, problems with the supply of raw materials and issues related to distribution of the product. As the manufacture of medicines is complex and highly regulated, and materials and processes must meet rigorous safety and quality standards, difficulties can arise for various reasons.

There is a team in the Department that deals specifically with medicine supply problems arising both in the community and in hospitals. It has well-established procedures to deal with medicine shortages, whatever the cause, and works closely with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the pharmaceutical industry, NHS England and others operating in the supply chain to help prevent shortages and to ensure that the risks to patients are minimised when shortages do arise.

There are around 14,000 medicines licensed for supply in the UK and while most are in good supply there can sometimes be supply issues with a limited number of medicines.

The medicine supply chain is highly regulated, complex and global. Supply disruption is a common issue and the UK, as well as the other countries around the world, can be affected by supply issues. High-profile medicine supply issues been global in their nature.

Officials have contacted Aristo Pharma Limited and can confirm there are no supply issues with Vencamil (levothyroxine) tablets and they should be available via normal wholesaler routes.

Ms xxx may be interested to know that prescribers can prescribe a medicine by brand or by the generic name. If the generic name is written on the prescription, pharmacy contractors can dispense any version of that product, either the generic or branded product, as the products are in essence the same. On the other hand, if a brand name or the name of a particular supplier is written on the prescription, the pharmacy must dispense that branded version of the product or the particular supplier’s product, even if there is an alternative version that is identical.

There are sometimes clinical reasons to prescribe a product from a particular manufacturer; for example, where patients suffer from side effects or are allergic to a particular ingredient. If the patient’s GP thinks it is appropriate to prescribe a product from a particular manufacturer, then the pharmacist must supply that specific product and not any other product by another manufacturer. This must, however, be clearly stated on the prescription.

I hope this reply is helpful.

Best wishes,

THE RT HON DAME ANDREA LEADSOM DBE MP

[PurpleNails Administrator]

It is good you have a letter that dates what the GPs and pharmacies must do if you have allergies to ingredients.

Thanks for posting updates regarding this subject, your previous post showing ICB response is helpful too.

😀

[Regenallotment in reply to PurpleNails]

Yeah I thought that! I’ve just put in my repeat prescriptions and am waiting the 7 days. It will be interesting to see if they can meet the Government’s expectations. I might get this laminated 🤣🙏🌱