Alliance Healthcare has moved to fill the gap in the UK supply chain left by Doncaster Pharmaceuticals Group Limited, Testerworld Limited, and Eclipse Generics Limited going into administration last week.
The three companies – which appointed American consulting firm Kroll to oversee the administration – collectively served about 4,000 pharmacies and operated from 14 UK locations.
Read more: 3 wholesalers servicing 4,000 pharmacies go into administration
An Alliance Healthcare spokesperson said the wholesaler was “well positioned to navigate volume changes” and supply products to some of these pharmacies, on top of “15,000 pharmacy dispensing points” it already serves across the UK.
“Following the news [of the companies’ administration], we have increased stock accordingly to ensure minimal disruption of product supply to customers,” the wholesaler told C+D yesterday (May 19).
“Saddened” at news of administration
“We are saddened to hear about the recent administration of these wholesalers,” the Alliance Healthcare spokesperson told C+D.
The wholesaler has reached out to former Doncaster Pharmaceuticals, Testerworld and Eclipse Generics employees via social media “to communicate [its] current vacancies across operations”, the spokesperson added.
Interested candidates should visit Alliance Healthcare’s LinkedIn page, the spokesperson said.
MHRA also looking to “minimise impact”
A spokesperson for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) told C+D on Monday (May 16) that it is “currently working closely with the Converse Group [which oversees the three wholesaling companies] and its administrators throughout this period”.
The medicines regulator hopes “to facilitate the sale of medicine stock held at [the companies’] depots and minimise the impact to patients”, the spokesperson said.
Read more: HDA: Rising energy costs an 'unknown threat' to wholesalers
C+D also asked the Department of Health and Social Care (DH) whether it is working with Kroll to minimise any potential supply issues following the wholesalers’ administration.
The DH said it has procedures in place and works with the NHS to prevent shortages.