Branded Medicine Shortages

The Branded Medicine Shortages List 

Over recent years, contractors have continued to experience difficulties in obtaining certain branded medicines. At the heart of the problem are changes in the European import and export market. A weak Pound and strong Euro have reduced the benefits from using parallel imported products; increasing the demand for UK medicines both from UK pharmacies and internationally.

 

This is a complex issue - there is no easy solution. It is not possible to prevent the export of UK medicines as this would be contrary to European trade laws. Increasing manufacturing output could be one solution but there are generally long lag times for changing manufacturing production plans to increase output and an argument used by some manufacturers is that this won't resolve the problem, and simply lead to an increase in the volume of stock exported.

 

Some manufacturers have introduced quotas to better manage the supply of UK medicines to ensure patient access, however where stock hasn't been allocated correctly by the manufacturer or managed appropriately by the wholesaler, problems arise. The allocation of quotas must be sophisticated enough to cope with reasonable fluctuations in demand such as changes in prescribing practice, changes in the number of pharmacy customers that wholesalers have and changes in access to the product from other sources including the availability of parallel imports.

 

Quotas also need to be effectively managed by wholesalers. The reports PSNC has received indicate that different wholesalers manage the stock they have been allocated in different ways and with markedly different levels of success.

 

An alternative option is, as Pfizer have done, monitor and restrict purchases at an individual pharmacy level rather than through wholesaler quotas. However, contractors have also reported problems with this arrangement.

 

Typically, when a wholesaler's quota has been exceeded, pharmacies need to obtain the product directly from the manufacturer or through alternative contingency arrangements. This increases workload in pharmacies and has an adverse financial impact on both pharmacies and the NHS.

 

PSNC has been working constructively with manufacturers, wholesalers, the Department of Health and the MHRA to find solutions to the current problems that could be introduced to help meet the needs of UK patients more efficiently. In 2008, PSNC proposed that the Department of Health should institute a review in conjunction with manufacturers, distributors and community pharmacy to consider what measures can be put in place to address supply issues. A supply chain forum has since been set up by the Department of Health and is supporting this collaborative solution-focussed working.

 

Further information:

Branded Medicine Supply Shortages Factsheet 

Reference list including key affected products and manufacturers' phone numbers:

On the 2nd March 2010, the Department of Health hosted a Ministerial Summit on the Supply problems. Participants included PSNC, the RPSGB, the NPA, the BAPW, the ABPI, the MHRA and DH. The new Government have endorsed the approach and actions agreed at the Summit. The actions agreed by participants were:

There is an existing framework in legislation to control the appropriate and continued supply of medicines to patients in the UK. Both manufacturers and wholesalers licenced to trade in the UK have a legal duty to ensure that UK patient needs are met and pharmacists and dispensing doctors have ethical obligations to ensure the needs of patients are always put first.

Agreement has been reached by the representative bodies of all parties in the supply chain to endorse and support the promotion of the existing legal and ethical obligations in relation to the trading of medicines in short supply. The obligations are outlined in the guidance note, “Trading Medicines for Human Use: Shortages and Supply Chain Obligations” which can be downloaded at the link below:

Trading Medicines for Human Use: Shortages and Supply Chain Obligations (PDF File/Updated January 2013)

Best practice guidance for ensuring the efficient supply and distribution of medicines to patients has been jointly published by the representative bodies of all parties in the supply chain along with the Government and regulators.

The key points in the guidance are:

Responding to the publication of the guidance, PSNC Chief Executive Sue Sharpe said:

“We welcome this Guidance as a step in the right direction. Given that a collaborative approach will be crucial in addressing this issue, it is positive that has been agreed by all parts of the supply chain, including manufacturers. We are also pleased that the guidance explicitly recognises that requesting faxed prescriptions prior to supply is not acceptable routine practice.

“However, there is much still to be done if pharmacies are to be able to give confidence to patients who have experienced delays in sourcing the medicines they need. We will continue to do all we can to improve the situation, and will look to explore with the Department how they might take enforcement action to ensure appropriate practice going forward.”

Click on the link below, and select the relevant document, to download a copy of the guidance in full

Best Practice for Ensuring the Efficient Supply and Distribution of Medicines to Patients (PDF File updated January 2013)

The All Party Pharmacy Group published the report of their inquiry into medicines shortages on 15th May 2012.  The enquiry was launched in November 2011.  The inquiry called for all stakeholders in the medicines supply chain including pharmacy bodies, manufacturers, wholesalers and government departments provide both written and verbal evidence.

The PSNC, Pharmacy Voice and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society responded to the APPG's report into medicines shortages.

All three bodies were pleased to see Parliamentarians undertaking an independent investigation into an issue that requires urgent resolution. The organisations gave evidence to the inquiry with the intention of putting all the facts on the table to help resolve the current medicine shortages suffered by patients. MPs heard from organisations representing every step in the medicines supply chain and the particular strains upon each part of the chain in attempting to deliver medicines to patients on time.

The three bodies considered the following issues to be key to finding a resolution to medicines shortages:

• Pharmacies should have to wait no more than 24 hours for supplies of medicines – patients have a right to expect that this commitment, which is supported by the Department of Health, is met consistently
• To help meet this commitment, emergency supply arrangements must be more responsive, using the warehousing and distribution infrastructure of wholesalers. Additionally, medicines quotas must be flexible enough to meet patient needs at local level
• Every organisation and individual involved in the medicine supply chain must operate with the overriding aim of meeting the needs of patients. To do this effectively, those delivering medicines via the medicines supply chain must act within the parameters of law and relevant professional ethics

The evidence compiled by the APPG reinforces the views of all pharmacy bodies, delays to the supply of medicines to patients cause distress, risk patient harm and are unacceptable. Pharmacists across the UK will continue to work hard to get medicines to patients promptly.

The bodies express their thanks to Kevin Barron MP and all members of the All-Party Pharmacy Group for undertaking this difficult task and we look forward to working with all stakeholders to deliver the recommendations contained in the report.

On the publication of today’s report on medicines shortages from the All-Party Pharmacy Group, Sue Sharpe, Chief Executive of PSNC said:

“Too often pharmacists have to really struggle to source medicines for their patients which should be readily available. We wholeheartedly welcome the report, as it shines a much-needed spotlight on an issue we have been pushing for action on for a number of years.

“It’s our view that the Department of Health has been too focussed on the supposed constraints EU legislation has on the Government, rather than looking to how we can solve the problem together through measures such as greater flexibility on quota arrangements, standardisation of emergency supply arrangements and locally managed buffer stocks, which will help to better translate the principles outlined in the joint best practice guidance.

“We thank the All-Party Group for their powerful call to action. The Department of Health must respond before anyone else gets seriously hurt.”

APPG Report into Medicines Shortage May 2012

Contractors who have experienced problems in obtaining medicines because of quota arrangements are encouraged to feed this to the PSNC Information Team to support PSNC's ongoing monitoring of the situation. PSNC passed a monthly summary of the feedback received to the Department of Health to support their monitoring of the situation. This information is also used as an evidence base in discussions with manufacturers on manufacturer-specific problems, for example highlighting problems with contingency arrangements and promoting solutions. Please use the online feedback form for this purpose. For support on this issue, please contact the PSNC Information Team.

 

Link: Online Feedback Form 

If a wholesaler chose to trade medicines for export that were in short supply in the UK and as a consequence the needs of patients in the UK were not met, the holder of a wholesale dealer's licence could be in breach of the Regulations, and could face regulatory action against his licence, and/or criminal prosecution. The requirements apply to all holders of a wholesale dealer's licence including pharmacists and pharmacy owners who hold a wholesale dealer's licence. 

 

To report a suspected breach of the Regulations, please contact:

MHRA Case Referral Centre
Telephone: 020 3080 6330 / 6168 
Email: casereferrals@mhra.gsi.gov.uk