The Department of Health and Social Care (DH) has further extended the serious shortage protocols (SSPs) for pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy drug Creon and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) medication Estradot.
In an update published on October 2, the DH extended the SSPs for Creon 25000 gastro-resistant capsules and Estradot patches of 50, 75 and 100 micrograms by another three months to January 8, 2027.
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) noted that the two drugs are facing the “longest running” medicine shortages ever recorded in Britain.
“Deeply depressing”
NPA chair Olivier Picard said the news is “deeply depressing” and described Creon as “a lifeline” to many patients with pancreatic cancer and cystic fibrosis, who require the drug to be able to digest food.
He said pharmacies “continue to report to the NPA that they are finding patients that are being forced to skip meals and travel many miles to source supplies”.
Read more: Serious shortage protocols for Creon and Estradot extended again
“This must act as an alarm call to the new Secretary of State to convene a taskforce to fully grasp this issue, bringing together all aspects of the supply chain,” he added.
“Although supply problems are frustrating to both patients and pharmacies, they can also present a serious risk to patient safety.”
Read more: DH confirms cancer drug stock secured five months after warning
Picard also urged the government to “urgently publish the outcome” of its consultation on allowing pharmacists to make substitutions to a prescription where medicines are seeing shortages.
While the shortages of Creon 25000 and Estradot are Britain’s longest-running, the SSP for Creon 10000 gastro-resistant capsules expired without extension on October 2.
Community Pharmacy England (CPE) stated at the time that any prescriptions for the tablets issued after this date “must be dispensed in accordance with the prescription”.
Read more: Serious shortage protocols for Creon and HRT patches extended
It comes after the SSPs for Estradot patches and Creon were further extended in July.
This follows the DH confirming last October that they had secured “additional volumes” of Creon for the remainder of the year.
