The NHS has issued a warning over shortages of 188 medications. Under current rules, the NHS pays pharmacies a fixed price for each medicine it dispenses, and pharmacies then have to try to source the drug for that amount or less. But when the price goes above what the NHS pays, the medication is placed on the government's price concessions list. This month, the list has hit an eye-watering 188, with millions of households across England warned.
Government Response
A spokesperson at the Department of Health and Social Care told the BBC: "The vast majority of licensed medicines are in good supply and we are working hard to keep it that way. We have established processes to respond to sudden market price increases of medicines. This includes adjusting reimbursement prices based on current market conditions, which helps ensure that pharmacies can continue to obtain medicines for their patients."
Patient Impact
Gillian-Ann Wordsworth, 84, takes Apixaban to prevent and treat blood clots for her heart condition. She said: "They can't get the Apixaban, so I was without medication all day Saturday. It's all a bit worrying because after all, it is the heart at the end of the day."
Pharmacy Challenges
Jones said: "A lot of very commonly used medications have gone into short supply in a very short period of time." Jones' wife Julie Jones works alongside him in the pharmacy and said the pair do everything in their power to try and get patients the medication they need. She said: "We usually spend two hours every evening trying to source the drugs or a suitable alternative because of the shortages."
Price Concessions Explained
Community Pharmacy England stated: "When community pharmacies cannot source a drug at or below the reimbursement price as set out in the Drug Tariff, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) can introduce a price concession at the request of Community Pharmacy England." It went on to say: "For any drugs granted price concessions, contractors are automatically reimbursed at the new prices for that month." It added: "To date, this takes the total number of price concessions granted by DHSC for May 2026 to 188."
Full List of Medications Affected
The following 188 medications have been granted price concessions for May 2026:
- Alfuzosin 2.5mg tablets - pack size 60
- Acarbose 50mg tablets - pack size 90
- Apixaban 2.5mg tablets - pack size 60
- Apixaban 5mg tablets - pack size 56
- Aripiprazole 10mg tablets - pack size 28
- Aripiprazole 30mg tablets - pack size 28
- Aspirin 75mg dispersible tablets - pack size 28
- Aspirin 75mg dispersible tablets - pack size 100
- Aspirin 75mg gastro-resistant tablets - pack size 28
- Aspirin 75mg tablets - pack size 28
- Atomoxetine 10mg capsules - pack size 28
- Atomoxetine 25mg capsules - pack size 28
- Atomoxetine 40mg capsules - pack size 28
- Atomoxetine 60mg capsules - pack size 28
- Atomoxetine 80mg capsules - pack size 28
- Benzydamine 0.15% mouthwash sugar free - pack size 300
- Benzydamine 0.15% oromucosal spray sugar free - pack size 30
- Bimatoprost 300micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops 0.4ml unit dose preservative free - pack size 30
- Bisoprolol 1.25mg tablets - pack size 28
- Candesartan 2mg tablets - pack size 7
- Candesartan 32mg tablets - pack size 28
- Candesartan 4mg tablets - pack size 7
- Captopril 12.5mg tablets - pack size 56
- Captopril 25mg tablets - pack size 56
- Captopril 50mg tablets - pack size 56
- Carbocisteine 375mg capsules - pack size 120
- Carvedilol 12.5mg tablets - pack size 28
- Carvedilol 25mg tablets - pack size 28
- Carvedilol 3.125mg tablets - pack size 28
- Carvedilol 6.25mg tablets - pack size 28
- Cefalexin 125mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free - pack size 100
- Cefalexin 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free - pack size 100
- Chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops - pack size 10
- Chloramphenicol 1% eye ointment - pack size 4
- Chlordiazepoxide 10mg capsules - pack size 100
- Chlordiazepoxide 5mg capsules - pack size 100
- Chlorpromazine 25mg tablets - pack size 28
- Clarithromycin 125mg/5ml oral suspension - pack size 70
- Clarithromycin 250mg/5ml oral suspension - pack size 70
- Clobazam 10mg tablets - pack size 30
- Clomipramine 25mg capsules - pack size 28
- Clotrimazole 500mg pessaries - pack size 1
- Co-amilofruse 5mg/40mg tablets - pack size 28
- Co-amilozide 5mg/50mg tablets - pack size 28
- Co-careldopa 12.5mg/50mg tablets - pack size 90
- Co-codamol 15mg/500mg tablets - pack size 100
- Co-codamol 30mg/500mg capsules - pack size 100
- Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets - pack size 30
- Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets - pack size 100
- Co-codamol 8mg/500mg capsules - pack size 100
- Co-codamol 8mg/500mg capsules - pack size 32
- Co-codamol 8mg/500mg effervescent tablets - pack size 32
- Co-codamol 8mg/500mg effervescent tablets - pack size 100
- Codeine 15mg tablets - pack size 28
- Codeine 15mg tablets - pack size 100
- Co-trimoxazole 80mg/400mg tablets - pack size 28
- Diclofenac sodium 50mg gastro-resistant tablets - pack size 28
- Digoxin 62.5microgram tablets - pack size 28
- Dipyridamole 200mg modified-release capsules - pack size 60
- Domperidone 1mg/ml oral suspension sugar free - pack size 200
- Doxazosin 2mg tablets - pack size 28
- Doxazosin 4mg tablets - pack size 28
- Duloxetine 60mg gastro-resistant capsules - pack size 28
- Enalapril 2.5mg tablets - pack size 28
- Erythromycin 250mg gastro-resistant tablets - pack size 28
- Esomeprazole 20mg gastro-resistant tablets - pack size 28
- Esomeprazole 40mg gastro-resistant tablets - pack size 28
- Estradiol 10microgram pessaries - pack size 24
- Ferrous fumarate 210mg tablets - pack size 84
- Fesoterodine 4mg modified-release tablets - pack size 28
- Flecainide 100mg tablets - pack size 60
- Flecainide 50mg tablets - pack size 60
- Fluoxetine 10mg capsules - pack size 30
- Fluoxetine 20mg capsules - pack size 30
- Fluoxetine 20mg/5ml oral solution sugar free - pack size 70
- Gabapentin 50mg/ml oral solution sugar free - pack size 150
- Hydrocortisone 5mg tablets - pack size 30
- Hydroxychloroquine 200mg tablets - pack size 60
- Ibandronic acid 150mg tablets - pack size 1
- Ibandronic acid 50mg tablets - pack size 28
- Indometacin 25mg capsules - pack size 28
- Indometacin 50mg capsules - pack size 28
- Irbesartan 150mg tablets - pack size 28
- Irbesartan 75mg tablets - pack size 28
- Ivabradine 2.5mg tablets - pack size 56
- Labetalol 100mg tablets - pack size 56
- Labetalol 200mg tablets - pack size 56
- Lacidipine 4mg tablets - pack size 28
- Lacosamide 200mg tablets - pack size 56
- Lamotrigine 100mg tablets - pack size 56
- Lamotrigine 200mg tablets - pack size 56
- Lamotrigine 25mg tablets - pack size 56
- Lamotrigine 50mg tablets - pack size 56
- Lansoprazole 15mg orodispersible tablets - pack size 28
- Lansoprazole 30mg orodispersible tablets - pack size 28
- Leflunomide 10mg tablets - pack size 30
- Leflunomide 20mg tablets - pack size 30
- Lercanidipine 10mg tablets - pack size 28
- Lercanidipine 20mg tablets - pack size 28
- Letrozole 2.5mg tablets - pack size 28
- Levetiracetam 100mg/ml oral solution sugar free - pack size 300
- Levothyroxine sodium 12.5microgram tablets - pack size 28
- Lofepramine 70mg tablets - pack size 56
- Loratadine 5mg/5ml oral solution - pack size 100
- Lymecycline 408mg capsules - pack size 28
- Lymecycline 408mg capsules - pack size 56
- Mebeverine 135mg tablets - pack size 100
- Mefenamic acid 500mg tablets - pack size 28
- Melatonin 2mg modified-release tablets - pack size 30
- Metformin 1g modified-release tablets - pack size 56
- Methenamine hippurate 1g tablets - pack size 60
- Midazolam 10mg/2ml solution for injection ampoules - pack size 10
- Mometasone 0.1% cream - pack size 30
- Mometasone 0.1% cream - pack size 100
- Morphine sulfate 10mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules - pack size 10
- Naftidrofuryl 100mg capsules - pack size 84
- Nicotine 4mg medicated chewing gum sugar free - pack size 96
- Nifedipine 10mg capsules - pack size 90
- Nifedipine 5mg capsules - pack size 90
- Nizatidine 150mg capsules - pack size 30
- Oxazepam 10mg tablets - pack size 28
- Oxazepam 15mg tablets - pack size 28
- Oxybutynin 10mg modified-release tablets - pack size 28
- Oxybutynin 2.5mg tablets - pack size 56
- Oxybutynin 5mg modified-release tablets - pack size 28
- Oxybutynin 5mg tablets - pack size 56
- Oxycodone 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free - pack size 250
- Oxytetracycline 250mg tablets - pack size 28
- Perindopril erbumine 2mg tablets - pack size 30
- Perindopril erbumine 4mg tablets - pack size 30
- Perindopril erbumine 8mg tablets - pack size 30
- Phenobarbital 30mg tablets - pack size 28
- Pregabalin 100mg capsules - pack size 84
- Pregabalin 150mg capsules - pack size 56
- Pregabalin 200mg capsules - pack size 84
- Pregabalin 225mg capsules - pack size 56
- Pregabalin 25mg capsules - pack size 56
- Pregabalin 300mg capsules - pack size 56
- Pregabalin 50mg capsules - pack size 84
- Pregabalin 75mg capsules - pack size 56
- Prochlorperazine 3mg buccal tablets - pack size 50
- Promethazine hydrochloride 25mg tablets - pack size 56
- Propranolol 80mg modified-release capsules - pack size 28
- Propranolol 80mg tablets - pack size 56
- Prucalopride 1mg tablets - pack size 28
- Prucalopride 2mg tablets - pack size 28
- Pyridostigmine bromide 60mg tablets - pack size 200
- Quinine sulfate 300mg tablets - pack size 28
- Rabeprazole 10mg gastro-resistant tablets - pack size 28
- Rabeprazole 20mg gastro-resistant tablets - pack size 28
- Ramipril 1.25mg capsules - pack size 28
- Ramipril 1.25mg tablets - pack size 28
- Ramipril 10mg capsules - pack size 28
- Ramipril 2.5mg capsules - pack size 28
- Ramipril 5mg capsules - pack size 28
- Ranolazine 375mg modified-release tablets - pack size 60
- Ranolazine 500mg modified-release tablets - pack size 60
- Ranolazine 750mg modified-release tablets - pack size 60
- Rivaroxaban 20mg tablets - pack size 28
- Ropinirole 2mg tablets - pack size 28
- Rosuvastatin 10mg tablets - pack size 28
- Rosuvastatin 20mg tablets - pack size 28
- Rosuvastatin 40mg tablets - pack size 28
- Rosuvastatin 5mg tablets - pack size 28
- Sertraline 100mg tablets - pack size 28
- Sertraline 50mg tablets - pack size 28
- Sitagliptin 100mg tablets - pack size 28
- Sodium bicarbonate 500mg capsules - pack size 56
- Sotalol 40mg tablets - pack size 28
- Sotalol 80mg tablets - pack size 28
- Spironolactone 25mg tablets - pack size 28
- Sumatriptan 100mg tablets - pack size 6
- Sumatriptan 50mg tablets - pack size 6
- Tadalafil 5mg tablets - pack size 28
- Tibolone 2.5mg tablets - pack size 28
- Timolol 0.5% eye drops - pack size 5
- Tolterodine 1mg tablets - pack size 56
- Tolterodine 2mg tablets - pack size 56
- Topiramate 100mg tablets - pack size 60
- Tramadol 50mg capsules - pack size 30
- Tramadol 50mg capsules - pack size 100
- Travoprost 40micrograms/ml eye drops - pack size 2.5
- Trihexyphenidyl 2mg tablets - pack size 84
- Trimethoprim 50mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free - pack size 100
- Valsartan 80mg capsules - pack size 28
- Venlafaxine 37.5mg tablets - pack size 56
- Venlafaxine 75mg tablets - pack size 56
- Warfarin 1mg tablets - pack size 28
