Sajid Javid has been called on to change the law to allow pharmacists to change prescriptions during drug shortages, as some women have been found to travel hundreds of miles in search of hormone replacement therapy products.
There is an acute shortage of some HRT products used by around 1 million women in the UK to treat menopausal symptoms.
Claire Anderson, president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said community pharmacists should be able to dispense replacement versions of prescription drugs without having to contact the prescriber – usually a general practitioner – each time.
Currently, the law in England stipulates that they must provide only the exact recipe.
The proposed change will also allow pharmacists to make changes in the amounts, strength and formulation of HRT and other medications.
“Currently, pharmacists cannot change HRT prescriptions, so they should refer women back to their GPs when the drug is not available,” Anderson said.
“Enabling pharmacists to do this will save patients, pharmacists and doctors time, as well as reduce anxiety for women who are waiting for medication.”
On Sunday, Javid announced plans to appoint an HRT king to address the shortage. The number of HRT products prescribed in England has more than doubled in the last five years, contributing to depletion of stocks while manufacturers report supply problems.
Some women share their prescriptions or travel hundreds of miles to get products, and there are fears that some women may commit suicide as a result of not treating their symptoms.
Anderson said he welcomed Javid’s plan to appoint a HRT king, but added: “With the continuing concerns of patient groups about the supply of medicines to people with other illnesses, this appointment should be part of a broader government strategy to ensure access. of patients to drugs.
She said: “Pharmacists spend many hours dealing with drug shortages when we prefer to talk to patients about their care. One solution would be to allow pharmacists to make small changes to the prescription when something is out of stock. This is faster for patients and more effective for NHS.
“Difficulties in accessing HRT have an unfair effect on women, affect their mental health and exacerbate health inequalities – an area that affects not only our patients but also the health and care workforce.”
The Pharmaceutical Negotiating Committee (PSNC), which represents NHS’s public pharmacies in England, said demand was outpacing the supply of a small number of HRT drugs, and longer, 12-month prescriptions were exacerbating the situation.
Sign up for First Edition, our free daily newsletter delivered every weekday at 7am
“Drug supply disruptions can vary very quickly and on a very localized basis,” a PSNC spokesman said.
“The situation is very variable depending on demand, local prescriptions and existing stock levels in pharmacies, and it is difficult to get a snapshot of where supply is located, as it is constantly moving along the supply chain.
“We know that some pharmacies receive prescriptions for HRT from women and prescribers hundreds of miles away, but we have nothing to confirm whether there are significant regional differences in supply.”
Janet Morrison, chief executive of PSNC, said: “The current cut-off in some HRT drugs appears to affect only a small number of drugs, and most pharmacies say they are able to help women in need quickly.
“It seems that the interruption is caused by a sudden increase in demand for some drugs and the prescribing of some prescriptions for much longer periods than usual.
“It’s incredibly worrying for women if they don’t have access to the drugs they rely on. Pharmacy teams know this and will do their best to help. In many cases, other formulations may be available, although this may take some time for pharmacies to handle, as they will need to talk to your GP first.
Labor MP Carolyn Harris, co-chair of the UK’s Menopause Working Group, welcomed ministers’ promises to tackle the shortage.
She said: “The problem with menopause is that women have not been listened to for too long, women have been ignored, prescribed and diagnosed with other conditions, and menopause has not even been considered.”
Add Comment