Two common prescription medications are becoming "impossible to source" amid an ongoing supply issue in England. Medicines for diabetes and Parkinson's patients are in short supply as record high NHS drug shortages in England continue.
Drugs Affected by Shortages
There are warnings that supplies have become "considerably worse" owing to the Iran war. Half Sinemet CR, a drug used by Parkinson's patients to improve signs of the disease, is on the official shortage list. Supply issues have also been reported with Trurapi insulin, which is used to treat type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Pharmacies Struggle to Meet Demand
Dr Leyla Hannbeck, CEO of the Independent Pharmacies Association, told The Telegraph: "Pharmacies across the country are seeing patients increasingly anxious and frustrated as they struggle to access vital treatments." She said that it has become "effectively impossible" to obtain the Parkinson's disease drug. She added that pharmacies were "left to pick up the pieces, spending hours sourcing medicines, reassuring worried patients and trying to manage shortages they did not create."
"This places huge strain on pharmacy teams and risks serious consequences for patients who rely on medicines, particularly for conditions such as diabetes, where interruptions to treatment can have significant health implications," she added.
Government Response Criticized
Dr Hannbeck said: "The government cannot continue to ignore medicine shortages thinking they will just go away. Urgent action is needed to strengthen medicine supply chains and support the pharmacies acting as the real front door to the NHS." She went on: "Silence from ministers is not just disappointing, it is a dereliction of duty that is putting patients at risk."
Official Statement from DHSC
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: "The vast majority of the UK's licensed medicines are in good supply, and we will continue working closely with industry partners to help ensure the continued supply of medicines and medical products. We are monitoring the situation closely and have robust measures in place to manage disruption across the health and social care sector to protect patients, including holding buffer stocks and the procurement of alternative products where necessary."
