Trade for prosperity

Supply problems can be a national or even international issue, well beyond the control of your local pharmacist and their team”

“Pharmacists work hard to get you the medicines you need, when and where you need them”

 

 

 

Medicines shortages can be very distressing and for some patients puts their health at risk.

 

Supply problems can be a national or even international issue, well beyond the control of your local pharmacist and their team.

 

Pharmacists work hard to get you the medicines you need, when and where you need them. If there is a delay, your pharmacy team will always do their best to explain why – but sometimes they do not know the reason for a shortage. Reasons why a medicine may be out-of-stock or unavailable include:

 

  • Manufacturing issues with making the medicine – such as a raw ingredient is unavailable
  • Manufacturers not making enough medicine to meet demand
  • There may be an increase in demand for numerous reasons
  • Disruption to distribution, which can be global
  • Changes to pack sizes or manufacturer of a medicine

 

My prescription is written as a ‘brand’ which is not available, but I have been told that I can get my medicine if my prescription is re-written with a ‘generic’ name – what does this mean?

 

Medicines can often have both a generic and a brand name. The generic name refers to the active ingredient (such as ibuprofen) and this may be made by more than one manufacturer who may give it their own ‘brand’ name (such as Nurofen). There may be differences in appearances and non-active ingredients.

 

If your prescription is written with a brand name, the pharmacist can only legally supply you with that brand, which can be an issue if it is unavailable. If prescribed by its generic name, there may be other options available. Your pharmacist will advise you if this is possible.

 

My neighbour and I take the same medicine; my neighbour has received their medicines, but not me – why is this?

 

The main reasons for this are:

 

  • Each pharmacy may obtain their medicines from different suppliers
  • Sometimes manufacturers or suppliers place a restriction on the amount of medicine that a pharmacy can order

 

It is important that you never share medicines. You must only take a medicine which has been prescribed for you by your doctor or healthcare professional.

 

How can my pharmacy help me?

 

There are different ways we can help, for example, the pharmacist may try different supply routes or speak to your prescriber about an alternative available medicine.

 

Remember, you have full choice of which pharmacy to receive your NHS prescription from.

 

Is there anything I can do to help?

 

  • Please be patient, understanding that medicine shortages can be a national or international issue and your prescriber may not be aware of it
  • Request your prescription in advance and do not wait to run out
  • Do not over-order your medicines as medicines wastage costs the NHS and can make medicines shortage issues even worse – check the expiry date before ordering more

 

Never buy your medicines online unless it is a reputable and registered online pharmacy or retailer.

 

 

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