Patients are being told they can only get one month’s worth of the medication at a time
Stock image of a woman taking a tablet(Image: Getty Images)
A ‘serious’ shortage warning has been issued over supply issues affecting certain medications.
Health officials have said there is a shortage of a certain dosage of ramipril, a high blood pressure medication, across the UK.
The medication – which can be taken as tablets, capsules or as a liquid – works by widening the blood vessels, making it easier for the heart to pump blood around the body.
But a ‘serious shortage protocol’ notice has now been issued for ramipril 1.25mg capsules.
Patients can only get one month’s worth of supplies at a time.
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The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said three million items of ramipril are prescribed every month in England.
NPA chairman Olivier Picard said: “We are concerned by this recent shortage, with a number of pharmacies being unable to order some strengths of ramipril as well as seeing the cost soar in recent weeks, in instances where stock can be found.
“Millions of patients rely on ramipril, and although there are alternative medicines available, supplies of these must be managed carefully by the Government to ensure subsequent demand can be met.
“The Government should allow pharmacists to make substitutions to ramipril prescriptions to ensure patients do not have to go back to their GP to find an alternative.
“Pharmacies are increasingly facing supply problems affecting everyday medicines on which millions rely every day.
“Whilst the medicine supply chain is extremely complex, the rising problem of shortages across a wide range of medication is extremely worrying for patients and heartbreaking for pharmacists who go to great lengths to ensure they don’t turn them away.
“Fragility in the global supply chain is worsened by international instability and the fact that long-term under-funding of pharmacies has driven down the price for medicines in the UK to unsustainable levels.”
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Ian Maidment, professor in clinical pharmacy at Aston University, said: “The NHS has just issued a serious supply shortage protocol for ramipril 1.25mg capsules, a prescription medication commonly used for high blood pressure and other heart conditions.
“The protocol applies to all four devolved nations – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – and means that pharmacies can only supply a maximum of one month supply of medication at any one time.
“Ramipril is an Ace (Angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitor and there are other Ace inhibitors available.
“It is vital that patients discuss any concerns with their community pharmacy team or GPs or pharmacy staff working in their GP surgery, but the key message is that there are alternatives.
“These supply issues are challenging for primary care to manage impacting on their overall workload.”
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A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “The vast majority of the UK’s licensed medicines are in good supply, and to make sure this remains the case, we are investing more in the domestic medicine manufacturing industry.
“We are aware that ramipril 1.25mg capsules are currently in limited supply and are working closely with suppliers to resolve the disruptions.
“We have issued comprehensive management guidance to healthcare professionals to manage affected patients including a Serious Shortage Protocol to limit prescriptions to one month’s supply to support equitable distribution to available stocks.”