Pharmacists have warned that worsening medicine shortages across the country are now posing a 'serious risk' to patient safety, as supplies of common drugs continue to run low. A wide range of medications are currently affected, including painkillers, antibiotics and blood pressure treatments, as well as medicines used to manage long-term conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes, ADHD, pancreatic cancer and cystic fibrosis.
Shortage Protocols Introduced
Shortages have become so severe that official Serious Shortage Protocols - which allow pharmacists to issue alternative treatments - have been introduced for several drugs, including Estradot, a hormone replacement therapy used to treat menopausal symptoms.
Ashley Cohen, a pharmacist of nearly 35 years and board member of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), said the scale of the crisis is unprecedented. “I have never known such a chronic medicine shortage as at the moment,” he said. “This is now not an inconvenience and a frustration, it’s a patient safety issue. With certain medicines and disease areas, such as epilepsy, the significance of somebody not getting their medicine may mean they have a seizure, they could be hospitalised, or worst case scenario, patients have died. I am aware of some instances where shortages have caused significant patient issues.”
Causes of the Crisis
The shortages are being linked to a combination of rising global drug prices, underfunding in the UK system and supply chain disruption. Ongoing geopolitical tensions, including the conflict involving Iran and disruption around the Strait of Hormuz, have also affected shipping routes and air freight, further straining supply.
Under the current system, the NHS pays pharmacies a fixed reimbursement price for medicines, leaving pharmacists to source stock within that budget. However, the number of drugs priced above the official reimbursement rate has surged, with the Government’s price concessions list reaching a record 210 medicines in April.
Mr Cohen, who runs a pharmacy chain in Leeds, said manufacturers are increasingly prioritising countries willing to pay higher prices, such as France and Germany. “It’s down to supply and demand,” he said. “Manufacturers are diverting large volumes of stock to countries that are prepared to pay more for their medicines than the UK government is willing to pay. The Government need to put more money into the medicines market.”
Rationing of Vital Treatments
He added that some pharmacies have been forced to ration vital treatments, including Creon, a drug essential for patients with pancreatic cancer and cystic fibrosis. “It is absolutely ridiculous. We’re almost a third-world country in terms of our supply,” he said. “Creon has been like this for coming up to two years. If I can’t get it in, no pharmacy has got it in, and we’re literally rationing patients. I’m hearing horror stories of patients going abroad and paying privately for it because you literally can’t function without Creon. It breaks my heart to not be able to have solutions for these patients.”
There are also concerns that persistent shortages could fuel a black market, with desperate patients turning to unregulated sources for medicines that may be unsafe or ineffective.
Patient Experiences
One patient, Cathy Moreau, 71, from Wandsworth in south-west London, said she now travels to France to secure supplies of Creon. “We don’t have a shortage in France,” she said. “If I don’t have the Creon, I can’t digest my food. It’s life-threatening because if you can’t digest your food, you’re going to lose weight, and that’s not sustainable.”
Survey Highlights Risks
A survey by the National Pharmacy Association, which represents around 6,000 independent pharmacies, found 96% believe shortages pose a serious risk to patient safety. Meanwhile, 83% of pharmacy staff said they had faced anger or abuse from patients unable to access prescribed medication.
NPA chair Olivier Picard said the situation is among the most severe the UK has experienced. “Our medicines market has never been so volatile, with patients and primary care colleagues at the sharp end of events outside of their control,” he said. “It is deeply distressing to find patients who have travelled from pharmacy to pharmacy without success.”
He added that pharmacists are spending increasing amounts of time sourcing stock and contacting GP surgeries, taking them away from patient care. “We’re urging the Government to convene an emergency task force, bringing together all parts of the supply chain,” he said. “As well as this, legislation should be amended to allow pharmacists to make simple substitutions where a safe alternative is available.”
Wider Concerns
Dr Leyla Hannbeck, from Independent Pharmacies Association, echoed those concerns, warning that shortages are placing a growing strain on both patients and healthcare professionals. “Pharmacists are spending increasing amounts of time trying to source medicines and reassuring worried patients,” she said. “We are particularly concerned about shortages affecting medicines used to treat long-term conditions, where interruptions can have serious consequences.”
She added that some patients are now turning to overseas websites to obtain medication - a move she described as 'deeply concerning' due to the risks around safety and authenticity.
The Royal College of GPs has backed calls for greater flexibility, including allowing pharmacists to substitute medicines when shortages occur. Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, president of the RCGP, said: “The most important thing is that patients are able to access the medication they need safely and without delay. With appropriate safeguards, we support pharmacists being able to make limited changes where a suitable alternative is available.”
Government Response
In response, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said that most medicines remain in good supply. “The overwhelming majority of medicines licensed in the UK are available,” they said. “Ensuring a robust supply is vital, and we are making significant investments in UK manufacturing, including up to £520m through the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund.”
However, with shortages continuing to affect a growing number of treatments, pharmacists warn urgent action is needed to prevent further risks to patient care.
