UK’s Medicine Supply Crisis Puts Patients at Risk, Warns Pharmacist
Patients’ lives are increasingly jeopardized by the escalating medicine supply crisis in the UK, according to a concerned pharmacist. Recent research indicates that pharmacies are unable to provide essential medications daily, leading to the distressing reality of turning away patients who urgently need life-saving treatments.
A survey conducted by the National Pharmacy Association involving 500 UK pharmacies revealed alarming statistics: every pharmacy reported being unable to dispense at least one prescription daily due to supply chain issues. Furthermore, a staggering 95% of pharmacies noted that patients frequently visit their establishments seeking medications they could not obtain elsewhere due to these shortages.
Pharmacist Olivier Picard, who owns Newdays Pharmacy with four branches across Berkshire, shared with The i Paper that the number of medications in short supply has surged at an “enormous rate” over the past few years. With over 25 years of experience in the field, Mr. Picard lamented, “Not a day goes by without having to turn patients away or send them back to their surgeries to obtain a replacement for a medication that I simply cannot provide.”
Under current regulations, pharmacists are prohibited from supplying patients with alternative medications if a prescribed drug is unavailable, even if they have different strengths of the same medication in stock, unless a Serious Shortage Protocol is enacted. The NPA survey highlighted that 96% of pharmacies were unable to dispense prescriptions at least once a day, despite having safe alternative formulations available.
Mr. Picard recalled a recent incident involving the blood thinner Apixaban, which is crucial for preventing blood clots. He expressed grave concerns about patient safety: “If a patient cannot access their blood thinners, the risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke—and consequently enduring a life-threatening condition or severe disability—is significant.”
Additionally, he noted the challenges faced by patients with epilepsy, as various medications such as carbamazepine and lamotrigine have also been impacted by supply shortages. Patients living with epilepsy have conveyed to The i Paper their fears of potentially fatal seizures due to these ongoing issues.
Mr. Picard finds it “heartbreaking” when he is unable to provide a patient with the necessary medications. “The delays in accessing critical medications are alarming, and unfortunately, this situation is endangering lives. These are not mere commodities; they are life-saving medications,” he emphasized. “I worry especially about individuals with severe conditions, such as diabetes. If a diabetic does not receive their insulin due to unavailability, they could end up hospitalized or facing a life-threatening situation. That is certainly not why I chose this profession.”
Nick Kaye, chair of the NPA, echoed the urgency of the situation, stating that it poses serious risks to patient health. He asserted, “It is nonsensical to send a patient back to their GP, as it may cause them to delay or even forgo vital medication, which is a clear threat to patient safety.” He urged the government to reconsider policies that prevent pharmacists from exercising their professional judgment to provide suitable alternatives when prescribed medications are unavailable.
A spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care remarked, “Community pharmacies play a crucial role as we aim to shift healthcare from hospitals into the community as part of our Plan for Change. We are committed to working with the sector to maximize the expertise of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to create a future-ready service.” The government is currently evaluating options to enable pharmacists to substitute different doses or formulations under specified conditions, especially in urgent and safe scenarios.
