Medicines are in dangerous short supply in the UK

Patients’ health is being put at risk by drug shortages that have become daily in England’s pharmacies, according to a new report.

Community Pharmacy England has warned that drug supply problems have become more than critical.

In the 2024 Pressures Survey report, which is based on the views of more than 6,100 pharmacy owners and 2,000 pharmacy team members, almost all (97%) of staff report that patients have inconvenience due to drug supply problems, while 79% say as a result, the patient’s health is put at risk.

Community Pharmacy England said medicines in a range of clinical and therapeutic areas are affected by supply disruptions at different times, with problems this year particularly affecting medicines used to treat diabetes, ADHD and epilepsy

Janet Morrison, chief executive of Community Pharmacy England, said: Patients with a wide range of clinical and therapeutic needs are affected on a daily basis and this goes far beyond inconvenience, causing frustration, anxiety and affecting their health. For some patients, not having access to the medicines they need can have very serious consequences, even forcing them to visit A&E.

Pharmacists have reported that more than a hundred medicines used in the UK are currently affected by shortages. In November, supply problems reached record levels, with 111 products affected, more than double since the start of 2022, according to the British Generic Manufacturers Association.

Here, i takes a look at key medicines that are in short supply and how these problems are putting those who rely on them at risk of harm.

insulin

Around 400,000 people with type 1 diabetes are at risk of being affected by insulin supply problems, which is the result of a global manufacturing challenge.

Insulin is a life-saving medicine for people with type 1 diabetes who cannot produce insulin naturally, which helps the body control blood sugar levels. Dangerous blood sugar levels caused by a lack of insulin can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition, in people with type 1 diabetes.

The availability of Humalog and Humulin vials has been affected by supply issues, and some insulin medications are not expected to be available until next year.

There are also ongoing supply issues with glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists, a range of drugs used to control blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

In part, the global shortage has been caused by growing demand for off-label prescriptions of the drug semaglutide marketed under brand names such as Ozempic and Wegovy that are issued for weight loss.

Supply problems are expected to last until 2025 and affected patients are advised to contact their healthcare team to switch to another drug.

Salbutamol

In February, the NHS issued a national patient safety alert for liquid forms of salbutamol, a medicine used to relieve symptoms of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), such as cough , wheezing and breathlessness.

The shortage of 2.5 mg/2.5 mL and 5 mg/2.5 mL salbutamol nebulizer liquid unit dose vials is ongoing and no date has been given to resolve the issue.

Shortage-affected forms of salbutamol are administered to patients using a machine called a nebulizer that delivers the drug as a mist inhaled through a face mask. The drug can save the lives of patients who cannot breathe without help.

A combination of manufacturing problems that have led to increased demand from other suppliers has caused supply problems, the NHS said.

A number of alternative medicines are available that are used to relieve the symptoms of asthma and COPD, but these cannot cope with the increased demand.

Medicine for epilepsy

Several drugs used to control epilepsy symptoms have been affected by supply problems in recent months.

Carbamazepine, phenytoin and lamotrigine are among key medicines that continue to be affected by supply problems, Community Pharmacy England said.

Earlier this year, epilepsy patients taking lamotrigine i they lived in fear of life-threatening seizures amid shortages and uncertainty about whether they would be able to get hold of their particular epilepsy medications.

Mark Devlin, CEO of Young Epilepsy, said: Seizure medicines are life-saving medicines, without a constant supply those who rely on them leave themselves open to serious injury or even death.

Medications for ADHD

People with ADHD have experienced ongoing difficulties in obtaining the medications they need to control their symptoms. The shortage has been linked to a combination of manufacturing problems and increased global demand.

Currently affected medications include various types of methylphenidate, lisdexamfetamine, guanfacine and atomoxetine.

ADHD experts say the lack of access to treatment for the condition can be life-threatening for some patients.

Henry Shelford, CEO of ADHD UK, said i: ADHD is a very difficult condition to live with, and much more difficult than most people without it know. We know more brutally, through suicide figures, that one in 10 men or boys with ADHD will at some point try to take their own life. And one in four women or girls with ADHD will at some point try to take their own life.

Pancreatic enzymes

Supply problems have made it difficult for patients to get pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT), sold under the brand names Creon, Nutrizym and Pancrex.

Also known as pancreatin, PERT supports digestion in patients with pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, a condition that prevents the pancreas from producing enough enzymes to properly digest food. It most commonly affects people with pancreatic cancer, pancreatitis and cystic fibrosis.

said student Amber Gibb, who takes Creon and has struggled to get her regular prescription The Sunday Times: It was really annoying. I cannot live without Creon.

It is a medicine that is my life support. Otherwise, I can’t eat.