Nardil 15mg tablets likely to remain out of stock this year

Nardil (Phenelzine sulfate)15mg tablets are expected to continue to face supply disruptions this year.

Kyowa Kirin, the sole manufacturer of Nardil tablets has said no exact date was set as to when the product would be back in stock, however the availability issues were expected to last until 2021.

Despite supply issues amid delays, the manufacturer has confirmed that the tablets have not been discontinued.

The company has already informed the Department of Health and Social Care that due to manufacturing challenges, Nardil has been out of stock since Summer 2019.

Supplies of Phenelzine 15mg tablets may be available to order from the following specialist importers on an ‘unlicensed’ basis.

(The list of suppliers above is not exhaustive. Credit: PSNC)

Pharmacists have been advised to note that delivery lead-times may vary between companies.

An update from the NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS) on the shortage of Nardil states: “If there is potential for a patient maintained on Phenelzine 15mg tablets to run out of supply during this shortage, they should be urgently referred back to a mental health specialist for advice on ongoing clinical management.”

According to PSNC, where prescribing of an unlicensed import is considered appropriate by the prescriber, a prescription must be issued with the wording ‘Special Order’ next to the prescribed product to ensure that a pharmacy can dispense and be correctly reimbursed for a non-Part VIIIB special.

Any EPS or paper prescription issued must specify ‘Phenelzine 15mg tablets (Special Order)’ in order for the pharmacists to dispense and be reimbursed for supplying an unlicensed import.

If a prescription is issued for ‘Phenelzine 15mg tablets‘ without any ‘Special Order’ wording against it, a pharmacy contractor would only be reimbursed the list price of £22.50 for a pack of 100 based on the reference product Nardil.

Prescriptions for unlicensed imported products not listed in Part VIIIB of the Drug Tariff must be endorsed with the following…

• Amount dispensed over pack size used
• Invoice price per pack size from which the order was supplied less any discount or rebate
• Manufacturers’/importers’ MHRA licence number
• Batch number of the product supplied.