Learn about disruptions to the supply of HRT medicines and how to get your prescription.
Contents
What is the issue?
After a long period of relatively low demand for hormone replacement therapy (HRT), the number of prescriptions issued in Wales each year has been increasing.
Many people who have prescriptions have had difficulty getting some forms of HRT.
Some HRT preparations have been discontinued but most supply disruptions are now resolved. However, we are still monitoring disruptions to the supply of FemSeven Sequi patches and Indivina 1mg/2.5mg tablets.
Why is there a shortage?
In Wales, the number of prescriptions for HRT has increased by more than 40% in the last 5 years.
Unfortunately, as the number of prescription has increased, manufacturers have not been able to produce sufficient amounts of HRT preparations to meet the demand.
When is the shortage expected to resolve?
We currently expect the supply disruptions affecting FemSeven Sequi patches and Indivina 1mg/2.5mg tablets to be resolved in January 2025.
When supply disruptions are resolved it can take a little time for local availability to stabilise because wholesalers and community pharmacies need to receive the stock from the manufacturer. Also, those pharmacies need to dispense any prescriptions held back during the period in which supplies were limited.
What is being done to resolve the shortage?
It is the responsibility of the UK Government to maintain the continuity of supply of medicines to the UK. We want to minimise the effect of any disruption to supply for most people with prescriptions to these medicines. To do this, we are working with:
- UK Government
- Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
- manufacturers
- health boards
- GPs
- community pharmacies
We are taking a range of actions to mitigate the impact of supply disruptions to HRT preparations. This includes providing prescribers with clinical advice on information about which HRT preparations are available and which of these products are equivalent to one another.
Previously we have also allowed pharmacists to substitute a different but equivalent HRT preparation if the one prescribed is unavailable, using a serious shortage protocol (SSP) without the need for patients to return to their prescriber. These SSPs have now been withdrawn reflecting improved availability of HRT medicines generally.
What should I do if I have difficulty getting my prescription dispensed?
In the first instance you should try different pharmacies to the one you normally use.
In all cases it is best to telephone the pharmacy before visiting. Information about contacting pharmacies in your area can be accessed at NHS 111 Wales.
If you are still unable to obtain a supply after trying different pharmacies you may need to speak to your GP about prescribing an alternative HRT preparation.