Patients lives being put at risk due to ‘worst stock shortage’, warn pharmacists

Cancer patients are skipping meals in order to ration a vital medicine that has been difficult to get hold of due to ongoing shortages.

Pharmacists have warned of the struggles they are facing to source Creon - a pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT), which helps people living with conditions such as cystic fibrosis, pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer to digest food.

A sample survey by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) of 300 pharmacies found that 96 per cent of pharmacies reported challenges supplying Creon, with 89 per cent also reporting difficulties in supplying PERT alternatives.

Olivier Picard, chair of the NPA, stressed that “it simply cannot be right that in the 21st century patients are skipping meals in order to ration their medication.”

He added: “Pharmacies are at the sharp end of medicine shortages, spending hours hunting stock and supporting frustrated and concerned patients.

“As this distressing survey shows ongoing supply problems with Creon has had a profound effect on the patients who depend on it to survive and lead a normal life.

"Medicine shortages not only cause huge inconvenience but can risk serious patient safety issues, particular in the cases of PERTs including Creon.”

Pharmacists have reported that patients are going without medication or travelling long distances and contacting numerous pharmacies to attempt to find medication in stock.

Though pharmacies are currently allowed to supply a reduced quantity of Creon capsules that might be in stock, without having to send a patient back to their GP to get a new prescription, 81 per cent of pharmacies felt the current arrangements for managing shortages of Creon are inadequate.

One pharmacist described the issue as the “worst stock shortage” they have ever had to deal with.

The NPA and Pancreatic Cancer UK have urged the government to bring together the supply chain and introduce a national action plan to address the shortages and support patients with alternative care.

The NPA said the government should look to change the law to make it easier for pharmacists to make substitutions to prescriptions where it is safe to do so, warning the current situation poses a risk to patient safety.

“Although we recognise this situation is complex and not the fault of the government, it’s important they convene a taskforce and a national action plan to tackle this particular shortage given its impact on patients,” said Picard.

"Medicine shortages are all too common so highly trained pharmacists should also be permitted to use their professional judgment to supply alternative medicines – where it is safe and appropriate - in the event of the prescribed version being unavailable.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “We know how frustrating and distressing medicine supply issues can be for patients and the clinicians caring for them. The European-wide supply issues with Creon are caused by a limited availability of raw ingredients and manufacturing capacity constraints.

“We are working closely with industry and the NHS to mitigate the impact on patients and resolve the issues as quickly as possible.”