Pharmacists have voiced concerns about an unprecedented shortage of NHS medicines , indicating a doubling of products in short supply over the past two years, according to unpublished figures. The latest addition to the UK drugs shortage list, on Wednesday, includes a treatment for controlling epileptic seizures. This list encompasses treatments for a spectrum of conditions, ranging from cancer to schizophrenia and type 2 diabetes.
The NHS medicines crisis is attributed to factors such as the plunging purchasing power of the pound since the Brexit referendum, which diminishes the NHS’s capacity to procure medicines internationally, coupled with a government policy of taxing manufacturers.
Statistics from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), provided to the British Generic Manufacturers Association, reveal a notable increase in shortages. On October 30 of the previous year, there were 111 drugs on the shortages list, and by December 18, this number had risen to 96, with notifications issued for an additional 10 treatments to NHS providers in the UK since then. This represents a 100% increase in shortages compared to January 2022. Pharmacists and health charities assert that the health of certain patients is deteriorating due to these shortages.
Delyth Morgan
Delyth Morgan, Chief Executive of Breast Cancer Now, highlighted instances where patients were unable to access essential medicines for controlling the spread of their disease, expressing concern over the added burden on patients who have to track down treatments from different pharmacies.
Douglas Twenefour, Head of Care at Diabetes UK, emphasized the serious implications of ongoing shortages of many GLP-1 medications for people with type 2 diabetes. He noted that these shortages are likely to persist for the rest of the year, impacting the ability of many individuals with type 2 diabetes to access optimal treatment.
The global supply chain disruptions, exacerbated by the war in Ukraine and recent concerns about violence in the Red Sea affecting vital shipping corridors, have contributed to the drugs supply challenges in many European countries. The EU, acknowledging the potential impact, has taken steps to create a stockpile for key drugs and invest in increased domestic production, even as the UK, no longer an EU member, grapples with its own set of challenges.
