Key Summary
- NHS England warns the Iran conflict could disrupt medicine and medical supplies in the UK.
- Key items like painkillers, syringes and essential drugs may face shortages.
- Delays and rising costs are likely as global supply routes are affected.
NHS England chief executive Sir Jim Mackey said the ongoing Iran war could have a wide-ranging impact on the country’s healthcare sector as fears of limited supplies grow.
Mackey told LBC Radio that in addition to drug shortages, syringes, gloves and intravenous bags also could become scarce due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran.
The rise in crude oil and natural gas prices affects the cost of petrochemical products such as methanol and ethylene, which are needed to manufacture APIs, the key ingredients of medicines, as well as syringes, vials, tubing, gowns, and goggles.
Mackey said a team has been set up across the NHS to assess where the risks may be through the supply chains. He admitted that almost everything may be at risk as Britain relies heavily on imports for medicine and healthcare equipment.
He also pointed out that even before the war began Britain had a “couple of supply shocks in the last 12 to 18 months.”
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) had in February issued a medicine supply notification for low-dose dispersible aspirin and co-codamol tablets.
Dispersible aspirin is essential for those with a history of strokes, heart disease, chronic kidney disease and diabetes, while co-codamol, a combination of paracetamol and codeine, is used as a painkiller.
Cancer drug Creon has been in short supply since May 2024. It is given to pancreatic cancer patients and helps in digesting food.
Medicines UK chief executive Mark Samuels, said that Britain could face medicine shortages, if the Iran conflict prolongs, North Wales Live reports.
He pointed out that 85 percent of the medicines used by the NHS is generic and a major chunk of it comes from India.
Shipping was the primary route for most medicines. But with Hormuz closure they are either being rerouted through longer routes or sent by air, and this could significantly increase transportation costs and lead to supply delays.
Following this, the chief executive of the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA), Malcolm Harrison said, "Pharmacies will do their utmost to supply NHS-prescribed medicines to patients when they need them."
"However, as the conflict continues it is likely that the disruption caused to global shipping and airfreight will start to impact on supplies. Over the past two decades, the NHS has significantly driven down the price it will pay for medicines, making the UK a less attractive market globally."
He also added, "We urgently need the Government to invest to protect patient access to medicines, and to make the UK medicines supply chain more resilient”.
