Medicines Shortages at NHSL

Please see MSN for further details

Unlicensed sodium thiosulfate 12.5g/50ml solution for injection vials remain available.

Consider alternative unlicensed strengths of polihexanide containing eye drops, ensuring that the patient is not allergic to any of the excipients.

Consider alternative unlicensed strengths of chlorhexidine gluconate containing eye drops, ensuring that the patient is not allergic to any of the excipients.

Review patients to determine if treatment is still required and where continued treatment is considered appropriate, consider prescribing tramadol (Zamadol Melt®) 50mg orodispersible tablets sugar free, ensuring patients are not intolerant to any of the excipients.

Alternative antifungal treatments remain available.

Consider prescribing cefalexin non sugar free preparation in the first instance, if appropriate.

If unsuitable, consider prescribing an alternative antibiotic liquid, with reference to local guidance and allergies.

do not initiate new patients on Asmanex Twisthalers® and consider switching existing patients prescribed an Asmanex Twisthaler® an alternative inhaled treatment

Discontinuation

please see MSN for further details

w/c 17/11/2025

please see SPS for further details

21/11/2025

Changed from a shortage to a discontinuation. Consider prescribing an alternative brand of fentanyl matrix patch and monitor and clinically assess the person’s response and titrate dose if required. Formulary options can be found here.

Discontinuation

please see further information on SPS

14/11/2025

Review existing patients to determine if Dalivit Oral Drops are still required. Consider prescribing Abidec Multivitamin Drops for young children where appropriate, ensuring that they are not intolerant to any of the excipients, including arachis oil (peanut oil) and counsel parent(s)/carers on the appropriate dose and volume required. For further information please see MSN

until further notice

consider switching to alternative once weekly parenteral GLP-1 RAs or GIP/GLP-1 RA 

Discontinuation

please see link for medicines shortage notification for further information

May 2026

Consider prescribing unlicensed fluphenazine decanoate 125mg/5ml solution for injection (multidose vial), only where licensed alternatives are not appropriate, ensuring the patient is not allergic to any excipients, the correct volume is administered, and injection volume >2ml for higher doses is acceptable to the patient

07/11/2025

Alternative pack sizes (1 vial and 25 vial) of benzylpenicillin sodium 600mg powder for solution for injections vials remain available and can support increased demand

01/05/2026

Topiramate is an MHRA category 2 antiepileptic drug. Other manufacturers remain in stock of topiramate tablets and can support increased demand

31.10.2025

Clonazepam is an MHRA category 2 antiepileptic drug. Other manufacturers remain in stock of clonazepam 2mg tablets and can support increased demand

21.11.2025

Where patients have insufficient supplies to last until the resupply date, clinicians should consider switching patients to clobazam 10mg tablets from alternative manufacturers. Clinicians should counsel patients receiving clobazam 10mg tablets from a different manufacturer on the switch, reassuring them that they are receiving the same medicine at the same dose, and to report any changes in seizure activity or adverse effects to a healthcare professional.

21.11.2025

Prescribers should not initiate patients on mupirocin 2% cream until the shortage has resolved. Bactroban 2% ointment and generic mupirocin 2% ointment 15g products remain available and can support increased demand.

03.10.2025

Clinicians should not initiate new people on Admelog®. Clinicians should review existing patients and consider switching to the originator insulin product,
Humalog® 100units/ml solution for injection. Patients may need training on the new device and may need to monitor blood glucose levels more closely and have their dose adjusted if required.

Discontinuation

please see link SPS site for further information

Discontinuation

please see link SPS site for further information

21.11.2025

Prescribers should not initiate new patients on glucagon (Ogluo) 500micrograms/0.1ml solution for injection pen or glucagon (Ogluo) 1mg/0.2ml solution for injection pre-filled pen. Please consider prescribing glucagon (GlucaGen Hypokit) 1mg powder and solvent for solution for injection vials

Discontinuation

Clinicians should not initiate new patients on repaglinide. Clinicians should: review patients to determine if there is a specific reason for being on repaglinide; prescribe alternative glucose lowering medication where ongoing treatment is required, ensuring that the patient is counselled on administration and dosage, and is not intolerant to any of the excipients; encourage patients who routinely monitor blood capillary glucose to continue to do so as recommended in national guidelines; continue to monitor HbA1c as recommended in national guidelines and if a clinical steer is required on treatment options, seek advice from specialist diabetes team

Early December 2025

Consider prescribing co-trimoxazole 40mg/200mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free, note different excipients. 

02.01.2026

consider prescribing an alternative dinoprostone preparation

09.01.2026

Unlicensed supplies of hydralazine 20mg injection can be sourced

28.08.2026

Clinicians should consider prescribing levofloxacin (Oxalux) 5mg/ml eye drops 0.5ml unit dose preservative free, ensuring that the patient is not intolerant to any of the excipients and is counselled on the appropriate dose.

05/12/2025

Clinicians should not initiate any new patients on Progynova TS patches and consider prescribing alternative estradiol patches, taking into account previous patches tried, dosing frequency, and intolerance to any of the patch excipients

Discontinuation

Clinicians should not initiate new patients on Valios 10mg orodispersible tablets until the shortage has resolved.

Where patients have insufficient supplies to last until the re-supply date, clinicians should consider prescribing Valios 5mg orodispersible tablets to make up to the required dose and counsel the patient and/or caregiver on the appropriate dose

14/11/2025

Rifampicin 150mg and 300mg capsules

Rifampicin 600mg IV solution for infusion

Rifampicin 100mg/5ml oral suspension

Rifinah® 300 tablets (rifampicin 300mg / isoniazid 150mg)

Rifater® tablets (rifampicin 120mg / isoniazid 50mg/ pyrazinamide 300mg)

Voractiv® tablets (rifampicin 150mg/ isoniazid 75mg / pyrazinamide 400mg / ethambutol 275mg)

Pyrazinamide 500mg tablets

Please see the MSN for further information

26/12/2025

Humulin® I (insulin isophane human), Humulin® M3 (insulin isophane biphasic human 30/70), Humalog® Mix25 (insulin lispro biphasic 25/75) & Humulin® S (insulin soluble human) 100units/ml solution for injection 10ml vials

Vials of Humulin® I, Humulin® S, Humulin® M3, and Humalog® Mix25 are being discontinued.

Supplies of Humulin® I and Humalog® Mix25 vials are anticipated to be exhausted by the end of April 2026; and Humulin® M3 and Humulin® S vials by the end of May 2026.

Humulin® I, Humulin® S, Humulin® M3, and Humalog® Mix25 in cartridges (for use with HumaPen® Savvio® reusable pen) remain available, and can support increased demand (see Supporting information).

Humulin® I, Humulin® M3 and Humalog® Mix25 in disposable KwikPens® remain available and can support increased demand (see Supporting information).

Insulatard® (insulin isophane human) 100units/ml suspension for injection and Actrapid® (insulin soluble human) 100units/ml solution for injection 10ml vials remain available but cannot support increased demand

Discontinuation

Hypurin® Porcine Isophane (insulin isophane porcine), Hypurin® Porcine Neutral (insulin soluble porcine) & Hypurin® Porcine 30/70 Mix (insulin isophane biphasic porcine 30/70) 100units/ml suspension for injection 10ml vials

Vial presentations of Hypurin® Porcine Isophane, Hypurin® Porcine Neutral and Hypurin® Porcine30/70 Mix are being discontinued with supplies anticipated to be exhausted by the end of September 2025, mid-February 2026, and end of July 2026, respectively.

The cartridge presentations of these products remain available and can support increased demand.

Hypurin® Porcine cartridges are compatible with the AutoPen® Classic, and with the new mypen®2, which will be available from late September 2025.

Note: AutoPen® Classic has been discontinued but limited stock remains available and can be used until mypen®2 is available

Marketing Authorisation Holder (MAH) has decided to cease marketing this product in the UK.  The Marketing Authorisation (MA) remains valid and will be withdrawn upon the expiry of the final product batches, scheduled for the end of August 2025.