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DHSC reclassifies 21 products as special containers

The Department of Health of Social Care (DHSC) has announced that 21 products now meet the special container criteria.

The drugs meet the special criteria as set out in Part II Clause 10 of the Drug Tariff.


A special container indicator for the relevant pack size including complete pack or sub-pack has been applied to the respective product entries in dictionary of medicines and devices and in the Drug Tariff, where listed.

Generic drug name (dm+d descriptor)Brand and/or ManufacturerPack sizeSpecial containerChange effective from 
Ascorbic acid powderJ M Loveridge Ltd100gComplete packMay
Aspirin powderJ M Loveridge Ltd250gComplete packMay
Boric acid powderJ M Loveridge Ltd500gComplete packMay
Clomethiazole 157.5mg/5ml oral solution sugar freeHeminevrin (Cheplapharm Arzneimittel GmbH)

All available generics

300mlComplete packJune
Desmopressin 100 microgram tabletsDDAVP 0.1mg tablets (Ferring Pharmaceuticals Ltd)

All available generics

90Complete packJune
Desmopressin 200 microgram tabletsDDAVP 0.2mg tablets (Ferring Pharmaceuticals Ltd)

All available generics

30 and 90Complete packJune
Doravirine 100mg tabletsPifeltro (Merck Sharp & Dohme Ltd)30Complete packJune
Emtricitabine 200mg / Tenofovir alafenamide 10mg tabletsDescovy (Gilead Sciences International Ltd)30Complete packJune
Emtricitabine 200mg / Tenofovir alafenamide 25mg tabletsDescovy (Gilead Sciences International Ltd)30Complete packJune
Lamivudine 300mg / Tenofovir disoproxil 245mg / Doravirine 100mg tabletsDelstrigo (Merck Sharp & Dohme Ltd)30Complete packJune
Levofloxacin 100mg/ml nebuliser liquid ampoulesQuinsair (Chiesi Ltd)56Complete packJune
Sodium bicarbonate powderJ M Loveridge300gComplete packMay
Sodium valproate 100mg tabletsEpilim 100mg crushable tablets (Sanofi)100 (10 x 10)

30 (3 x 10)

Sub-pack of 10June
Sodium valproate 200mg gastro-resistant tabletsEpilim 200 gastro-resistant tablets (Sanofi)

All available generics

100 (10 x 10)

30 (3 x 10)

Sub-pack of 10June
Sodium valproate 200mg modified-release tabletsEpilim Chrono 200 tablets (Sanofi)100 (10 x 10)

30 (3 x 10)

Sub-pack of 10June
Sodium valproate 300mg modified-release tabletsEpilim Chrono 300 tablets (Sanofi)100 (10 x 10)

30 (3 x 10)

Sub-pack of 10June
Sodium valproate 500mg gastro-resistant tabletsEpilim 200mg gastro-resistant tablets (Sanofi)

All available generics

100 (10 x 10)

30 (3 x 10)

Sub-pack of 10June
Sodium valproate 500mg modified-release tabletsEpilim Chrono 500 (Sanofi)100 (10 x 10)

30 (3 x 10)

Sub-pack of 10 June
Tartaric acid powderJ M Loveridge Ltd500gComplete packMay
Urea 10% lotionEucerin Intensive 10% lotion (Beiersdorf UK Ltd)250mlComplete packJune
Zinc oxide powderJ M Loveridge500gComplete packMay

The special container status of a drug can be viewed by entering the relevant product details into the dm+d browser.