ACTION REQUIRED Medicines Shortage Notification* Salbutamol 2mg/5ml syrup
17 July 2019
Please be aware that there is an important drug supply issue affecting:
‘Salbutamol 2mg/5ml syrup’
- The Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) have been made aware that both suppliers (GSK and Pinewood) are currently out of stock of Salbutamol 2mg/5ml syrup.
- GSK, the main supplier of salbutamol 2mg/5ml syrup (Ventolin) have advised a resupply date of early August 2019.
- Pinewood are long term out of stock due to manufacturing issues and are currently unable to advise a resupply date.
- DHSC have contacted specialist importer companies, who have advised that unlicensed imports can be sourced from abroad.
- UK Medicine Information have also published guidance on other alternative options including the use of salbutamol tablets: https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/shortage-of-salbutamol-syrup-2mg-5ml/
Local Action required:
- Please ensure that information about this supply issues is cascaded to all relevant networks.
- For patients who do not have sufficient supplies to last until early August, clinicians should consider prescribing alternative options during this time including unlicensed supplies of Salbutamol 2mg/5ml syrup. Clinicians will need to work with local pharmacies to understand more about the specific unlicensed products that can be sourced.
- Clinicians should refer to the UKMI memo for further advice if an unlicensed supply of Salbutamol 2mg/5ml syrup is considered unsuitable.
If you have any queries please contact genericmedicineshortages@dhsc.gov.uk
740