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The National Pharmacy Association chair Olivier Picard has urged health secretary Yvette Cooper to convene an “urgent” taskforce to address “fragility” in the global medicines supply chain after the Government’s announcement this week of another serious shortage protocol (SSP).

Picard (pictured) said the SSP for lansoprazole 15mg and 30mg orodispersible tablets, which starts today and ends on January 15 next year, was further evidence of pharmacists’ worsening struggles to source medicines for their patients.

The SSP for the drug, which treats heartburn, acid reflux and stomach ulcers, is for one month’s supply.

Community Pharmacy England said the drug is “in limited supply until early January 2027” while “alternative proton pump inhibitors remain available”. SSPs have been issued for Lansoprazole, Ramipril, Estradot and Creon in the last two years.

“We are concerned by these shortages of Lansoprazole, which is one of many shortages of medicines that pharmacies and their patients have had to grapple with,” Picard said. "This joins a growing list of medicines that pharmacies are finding it hard to source for patients this year, including Ramipril, aspirin, co-codamol and Creon to name a few. 

"Any patient relying on orodispersible Lansoprazole should speak to their GP and pharmacy to ensure they have continued access to the treatment they need. This could include limiting supply to one month or moving to an alternative strength, where this is clinically appropriate and supplies are available.”

Pharmacy leaders have long called for pharmacists to be given the authority to substitute a different strength, quantity, or formulation for a prescription and the Government launched a consultation on it last year. The Royal College of General Practitioners agreed with that recommendation.

"The government should allow pharmacists to make appropriate substitutions to ensure patients do not have to go back to their GP to find an alternative,” Picard said. 

"Pharmacies are increasingly facing supply problems affecting everyday medicines on which millions rely upon, with some describing shortages as the worst they have ever experienced.”

Calling on Cooper to act, Picard added: “Whilst the medicine supply chain is complex, the rising problem of shortages across a wide range of medicines is extremely worrying for patients and heartbreaking for pharmacists who go to great lengths to ensure they don't turn them away.

“Fragility in the global supply chain is worsened by international instability and the new health secretary must convene an urgent taskforce to fully grip this chronic problem."