On December 22, 2020, the Medicines Healthcare and Regulatory Authority (MHRA) published a public assessment report reclassifying hayfever tablets Allevia 120mg (fexofenadine) from a prescription only medicine (POM) to general sales list (GSL).

The switch was met with fanfare from pharmacy professionals on social media, as pharmacy teams continue to receive more and more requests from patients for hayfever remedies.

However, Sanofi – parent company of Aventis Pharma who applied for the reclassification – told C+D that despite the successful reclassification at the end of last year, Allevia 120mg tablets “are not currently marketed in the United Kingdom”.

“Sanofi does not have an estimated date of launch that we are able to provide, nor any further information regarding the…next steps for this product,” the manufacturer added.

“Sanofi's POM fexofenadine hydrochloride tablets are currently in stock,” it stressed.

The MHRA told C+D that while it “grants an authorisation to market a product, this does not mean that the marketing authorisation holder will necessarily choose to market the medicine immediately after grant”.

Read C+D's guide on what pharmacists need to know, following the POM to GSL switch.