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DH issues supply disruption notice for six oral contraceptive brands

Pb Staff writer
By Pb Staff writerOct 06, 2020
Pb Staff writer
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The Department of Health and Social Care (DH) has issued a medicine supply notification for six oral contraceptive tablets of various brands.

The following oral contraceptive preparations are currently out of stock.

Product affectedIngredientsAnticipated Resupply DateManagement Advice
BrevinorEthinylestradiol/norethisterone 35microgram/500 microgram tabletsEarly January 2021No exact equivalent available
EloineEthinylestradiol/ drospirenone

20 microgram /3mg tablet

October 2020Unlicensed imports of Eloine have been sourced, lead times vary
NoriminEthinylestradiol/norethisterone 35microgram/1mg tabletsEarly January 2021No exact equivalent available
SynphaseEthinylestradiol/norethisterone/ 35microgram/500microgram and

35microgram/1mg tablets

Early January 2021Unlicensed imports of Synphase tablets have been sourced; lead times vary.
YiznellEthinylestradiol/drospirenone 30microgram/3mg tabletsNovember 2020Equivalent alternatives with same composition remain available from suppliers of following brands: Dretine, Yacella, Yasmin, Ellaite and Lucette.
ZoelyEstradiol/nomegestrol 1.5mg/2.5mg tabletsMid October 2020No exact equivalent available

The importers including Clinigen, Mawdsley’s Unlicensed, and Target Healthcare have confirmed that they can source unlicensed imports of Synphase tablets.

Community pharmacists can reach Alium, Mawdsley’s Unlicensed, Target Healthcare, and Durbin for unlicensed imports of Eloine tablets.

There is currently no listing on dm+d for the imported product for prescribers to select using their prescribing systems so an EPS prescription for unlicensed Synphase tablets cannot be issued.

If a prescriber wishes to prescribe an unlicensed import, an FP10 paper prescription should be issued as ‘Ethinylestradiol/norethisterone/ 35microgram/500microgram and 35microgram/1mg tablets (Special Order)‘ and endorsed by the pharmacy as a non-Part VIIIB special.

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