{"id":7324,"date":"2026-04-02T00:56:52","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T00:56:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/?p=7324"},"modified":"2026-04-02T04:30:30","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T04:30:30","slug":"nhs-issues-major-warning-on-drug-shortages-with-blood-pressure-cancer-stroke-medicine-and-antibiotics-in-crisis-but-changing-prescription-can-come-with-devastating-consequences-heres-what-to-do-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/?p=7324","title":{"rendered":"NHS issues major warning on drug shortages with blood pressure, cancer, stroke medicine and antibiotics in crisis. But changing prescription can come with devastating consequences. Here’s what to do if YOUR doctor tries to ‘swap’ you"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Everyday medicines could soon be in such short supply that Britain will face a crisis situation, leading pharmacy figures are now warning.<\/p>\n

The situation was already grave before the war began with Iran<\/a>, with shortages of common drugs such as antibiotics and even aspirin \u2013 but the conflict may soon lead to shortages of medical supplies such as syringes and \u2018honestly everything\u2019, Sir Jim Mackey, head of the NHS<\/a>, said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

But with medicines specifically, the UK now faces \u2018a perfect storm\u2019 which experts fear will lead to record shortages of prescription drugs affecting even vital cancer<\/a> medicines.<\/p>\n

Those already in short supply include essential medicines such as aspirin taken by millions to reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokes, the blood pressure tablet ramipril; the antidepressants sertraline and mirtazapine; folic acid for women hoping to conceive; and the antibiotic amoxicillin \u2013 a development described as \u2018very worrying\u2019, Dr. James Davies, director of research and insights for the Community Pharmacy England, (CPE), which represents community pharmacies in England.<\/p>\n

\u2018We have received more reports from pharmacies having problems obtaining medicines at appropriate prices than in any month since we started collecting this data in 2019,\u2019 he told the Mail. The CPE is calling on the Department of Health to take urgent action as figures reveal shortages last month are soaring and the situation shows no sign of abating.<\/p>\n

\u2018We were told by some suppliers and manufacturers that we should expect this to get worse,\u2019 says Leyla Hannbeck, the chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association.<\/p>\n

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\"According<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

According to the NHS, the there were already shortages of prescription drugs before the Iran conflict, but now the situation is even more concerning<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018This was even before the conflict in the Middle East and now with the war affecting the situation it is even more worrying,\u2019 she told the Daily Mail.<\/p>\n

\u2018We don\u2019t want to scare people about dying, but many people are dependent on their medicines to keep them going and their treatment will be affected or delayed by this.<\/p>\n

\u2018Right now, for example, there are some cancer medicines that we cannot get hold of common medicines for blood pressure are in increasingly short supply too.\u2019<\/p>\n

Julia Halpin, who runs Being Well, a private pharmacy in Hove, says supplies of other crucial medicines including carbamazepine \u2013 a drug used to treat epilepsy is \u2018really hard to come by, which may result in real patient harm\u2019 while she says Estradot, a popular brand of HRT patch is currently \u2018completely unavailable\u2019 from her regular wholesalers.<\/p>\n

Two weeks ago Leyla Hannbeck wrote to Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State for Health, highlighting \u2018the impact of the ongoing war in the Middle East and [asking] if the government had a clear plan to protect our medicines market.\u2019 However she said there had been no reply: \u2018When you think about how serious this is we expected that we would have heard back.<\/p>\n

\u2018Right now we are experiencing a lot of problems with medicine supply and if this war continues, we will enter a crisis situation.\u2019<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just empty spots in pharmacy shelves for over-the-counter drugs such as aspirin. Confirmation, if needed, of worrying shortages is the increase in so-called UK Medicine Supply Issue Notifications, which signal actual or potential medicine supply problems sent by manufacturers to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).<\/p>\n

In 2021, the first full year this was recorded, there were 989 notifications. But in February (SUBS 2026) alone there were 283 notifications\u00a0\u2013 the highest ever in a single month.<\/p>\n

Another barometer of shortages is a significant rise in price concessions\u00a0\u2013 this is a system where pharmacists apply to the DHSC to cover the increased cost of drugs, as suppliers raise prices in a competitive market. Every three months the DHSC publishes a \u2018drug tariff\u2019, a list telling pharmacies how much it is prepared to refund pharmacists for medicines they supply to the NHS. Shortages means the DHSC has to increase the amount it will pay for a drug.<\/p>\n

In 2020 there were 641 price concessions during the whole year, in 2022 they had increased to 1,496. In February this year the CPE said the number of price concessions already stood at 174 and experts are concerned.<\/p>\n

\u2018Given the current trend, we are likely heading towards a record number of price concessions for the year,\u2019 Dr Davies warned.<\/p>\n

The reasons behind the shortages are multiple.<\/p>\n

Sourcing raw materials and even packaging have become a mounting problem since supply chains were badly hit by the pandemic, and since then it has been compounded by manufacturers shutting down and shipping being severely delayed.<\/p>\n

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\"There<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

There is a solution: if the supply of a medicine is greatly disrupted, the Department of Health can issue a Serious Shortage Protocol, which lets pharmacists supply an alternative medicine<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Malcolm Harrison, chief executive of the Company Chemists Association, which includes big chains like Boots, uses the example of the drug Creon, which is prescribed to those who lack digestive enzymes for examples as a result of pancreatis, an inflamed pancreas or cystic fibrosis.<\/p>\n

\u2018There were three manufacturers supplying the European market but one of them withdrew and the other two could not scale up,\u2019 he told the Mail.<\/p>\n

But a major problem is the fact that generic medicines provide the bulk of prescription drugs.<\/p>\n

These mass-produced copies are a fraction of the cost of branded drugs and account for around 80 per cent of all NHS prescribed drugs.<\/p>\n

Britain only produced about a quarter of these generic medicines it consumes\u00a0\u2013 with the rest imported, primarily from India and China. This makes us particularly vulnerable because we cannot fall back on our own manufacturers and, instead, rely on fluctuating global supply chains.<\/p>\n

When shortages occur and demand outstrips supply and there\u2019s a spike in prices; the Government can choose to apply a price concession so pharmacies can pay more to wholesalers to secure medicines for patients – but the pharmacists say this doesn\u2019t happen enough.<\/p>\n

There is a quick-fix solution: if the supply of a medicine is significantly disrupted the Department of Health can issue a Serious Shortage Protocol (SSP), which allows pharmacists to supply an alternative medicine. For instance, an SSP was issued with Fixapost eye drops, in December last year. Pharmacists were told they could use Vizilatan Duo as an alternative.<\/p>\n

However, the problem is introducing swaps can cause patients problems particularly when there are significant differences in doses and patients may be less likely to use their medication.<\/p>\n

And switching from tablets to capsules for example can alter the effectiveness.<\/p>\n

And for medicines used to treat a variety of different conditions there are often no standard alternatives.<\/p>\n

One example would be amitriptyline, which is prescribed for both depression and chronic pain.<\/p>\n

\u2018Patients should be aware that their pharmacist will do all they can within their sphere of influence to ensure they supply a substitute if their regular medicine is not available,\u2019 says Leyla Hannbeck, \u2018but it is becoming increasingly difficult’.<\/p>\n

\u2018The Government needs to listen because this is going to become critical if nothing is done\u00a0\u2013 it is becoming less affordable for manufacturers to supply these medicines at such cheap prices.\u2019<\/p>\n

Leyla Hannbeck added that the UK\u2019s medicines budget is \u2018one of the lowest of any developed country which makes the UK market unattractive to manufacturers\u2019 and combine that with the war in the Middle East \u2018driving up costs, constraining raw ingredients delaying supply, and you have a perfect storm exacerbating medicine shortages\u2019.<\/p>\n

A DHSC spokesperson told the Mail that the \u2018vast majority of the UK\u2019s licensed medicines are in good supply\u2019.<\/p>\n

They added: \u2018We\u2019re strengthening the resilience of our medicine supply by offering financial incentives for the manufacturing of more medicines – and have well-established processes in place to mitigate risks, including using alternative medicines when available.<\/p>\n

\u2018We are also actively engaging with partner countries to bolster supply chains – protecting NHS services and patients.\u2019<\/p>\n

Pharmacy bodies recommend that patients shop around when their designated pharmacy cannot supply the required prescription.<\/p>\n

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The top ten drugs currently in short supply<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u00a01.\u00a0Lansoprazole<\/span>: 3.01m prescription items in November 2025, last recorded month.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shortage affects<\/span>:<\/span> 30mg orodispersible tablets, 28 pack<\/p>\n

This reduces production of stomach acid and is used to treat conditions including heartburn, reflux and stomach ulcers.<\/p>\n

2. Ramipril<\/span>: 2.8m prescription items in November 2025<\/p>\n

Shortage affects: 10mg capsules, 28 pack; 5mg capsules, 28 pack; 5mg tablets, 28 pack; 1.25mg capsules, 28 pack; 10mg tablets, 28 pack; 2.5mg capsules, 28 pack; 2.5mg tablets, 28 pack<\/p>\n

Used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure and to prevent strokes, heart attacks and kidney problems.<\/p>\n

3. Sertraline<\/span>: 2.05m<\/p>\n

Shortage affects: 50mg tablets, 28 pack<\/p>\n

An antidepressant used for depression, OCD, panic disorder, PTSD and social anxiety disorder.<\/p>\n

4. Aspirin<\/span>: 1.6m<\/p>\n

Shortage affects: 75mg dispersible tablets, 28 pack; 75mg dispersible tablets, 100 pack; 75mg tablets, 28 pack; 75mg gastro-resistant tablets, 28 pack<\/p>\n

Used to reduce risk of heart attack and stroke. (Higher doses used for pain relief, reducing fever and inflammation, unaffected.)<\/p>\n

5. Co codamol<\/span>: 1.175m<\/p>\n

Shortage affects: 30mg\/500mg, 30 pack; 30mg\/500mg, 100 tablets; 8mg\/500mg capsules, 100 pack; 8mg\/500mg capsules, 32 pack; 8mg\/500mg effervescent tablets, 32 pack; 8mg\/500mg effervescent tablets, 100 pack.<\/p>\n

A combination of paracetamol and codeine for pain relief.<\/p>\n

6. Mirtazapine<\/span>: 1.09m<\/p>\n

Shortage affects: 15mg tablets, 28 pack<\/p>\n

An antidepressant used for depression, and sometimes for OCD and anxiety.<\/p>\n

Shortage affects 758,000<\/p>\n

7. Folic Acid<\/span>: 758,000<\/p>\n

Format shortages: 400 microgram tablets, 90 pack; 45mg tablets, 28 pack<\/p>\n

Used prevent birth defects and to treat certain forms of anaemia.<\/p>\n

8. Fluoxetine<\/span>: 658,000<\/p>\n

Shortage affects: 20mg capsules: 30 tablets<\/p>\n

Better known by its brand name Prozac, it is used to treat depression, OCD and bulimia.<\/p>\n

9. Propranolol<\/span>: 652,000<\/p>\n

Shortage affects: 80mg modified-release capsules, 28 pack; 160mg modified release capsules, 28 pack<\/p>\n

A beta-blocker drug for managing heart problems (such as irregular rhythm or arrhythmias), anxiety symptoms and migraine.<\/p>\n

10. Amoxicillin<\/span>: 625,000<\/p>\n

Shortage affects: 250mg\/5ml oral suspension, 100 pack; 250mg\/5ml oral suspension, 100 pack<\/p>\n

An antibiotic for bacterial infections such as chest, ear, sinus, urinary tract, skin, and dental infections.<\/p>\n

*Figures are from Open Prescribing, which collates NHS data<\/span>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Everyday medicines could soon be in such short supply that Britain will face a crisis situation, leading pharmacy figures are now warning. The situation was already grave before the war began with Iran, with shortages of common drugs such as antibiotics and even aspirin \u2013 but the conflict may soon lead to shortages of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7325,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-7324","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthy"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7324","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7324"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7324\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7326,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7324\/revisions\/7326"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7325"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.healthoptibody.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}