Blood pressure and cancer drugs run short amid Iran war

Pharmacies have warned of shortages of HRT, blood pressure and cancer drugs as they urge ministers to review hoarding restrictions or risk a “winter crisis”. Several critical medicines are now in short supply, according to the Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA), which represents 5,000 pharmacies in England and Wales. The Iran war and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted air freight routes and increased fuel and shipping costs, all of which have contributed to issues with drug supply chains.

Britain imports around three-quarters of its drugs, and even those that come from the EU or closer to home are often made from materials shipped from countries such as China or India. Among medicines on the official shortage list, which is shared with pharmacists so they can manage supplies, is Lenzetto, a widely used HRT spray to relieve hot flushes, night sweats and low mood. Also on the shortage list is Propranolol, a beta-blocker used to stabilise those suffering from high blood pressure , angina and abnormal heart rhythms. ‘Medicine shortages not improving’ ⁠Certain cancer treatments, painkillers and cholesterol medicines are also in shortage, according to the official list.

Dr Leyla Hannbeck, the IPA’s chief executive, told The Telegraph: “Medicine shortages are not improving, and with winter approaching, it is vital that the Government takes this issue seriously before the situation deteriorates further. “The conflict in Iran and uncertainty over shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz have added to concerns about medicine supply chains. “Pharmacies across the UK are already struggling to access medicines their patients desperately need, while rising prices are putting them under further financial pressure.

Too often, pharmacies are left having to source medicines at a loss, placing even greater strain on already stretched businesses.” The IPA is urging the government to review its export and hoarding restrictions, explaining that this “should take winter demand into account”. It is also calling for the appointment of a medicines shortage tsar, and to ensure pharmacies are properly reimbursed for what medicines cost them. Dr Hannbeck urged the Prime Minister to take the threat of medicine shortages seriously and to “act now” rather than “wait until the NHS is in the middle of another winter crisis”.

She said: “It is vital that our proposals are taken seriously and that proactive steps are taken to strengthen medicine supply chains, protect pharmacies from unsustainable costs and ensure patients can access the medicines they need.” ‘Winter will add pressure’ She first sounded an alarm about drug shortages to Wes Streeting, then Health Secretary, in March, urging him to stockpile medicines that might run out because of Iran’s blockade on the Strait of Hormuz.

In a letter to Yvette Cooper, sent on Friday, Dr Hannbeck said that the situation had become far worse since the start of the year, adding that new shortages had emerged. “These are treatments people rely on every day,” the letter says. “Our members are still struggling, week in and week out, to get hold of them. When a medicine can’t be found, treatment gets delayed. For some patients, that can have serious consequences. “Winter will only add to the pressure.

Demand for medicines always goes up in the colder months, and this year flu has arrived earlier than usual. Some of the antibiotics we rely on most for winter infections are already under price pressure, and the peak hasn’t even started. We’d urge the Government not to wait for a crisis before it acts.” A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “The vast majority of the UK’s licensed medicines are in good supply, and the latest figures show medicine supply issue notifications have fallen over the past year.

“We have robust measures in place to mitigate disruption for patients, and we are also investing in the UK medicine manufacturing industry to manage supply disruptions where they occur, including up to £520m in the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund.”