Vital medicines to treat ADHD, diabetes and HRT patches frequently out of stock, pharmacist warns

Treatment for psychiatric illnesses, pain relief containing fentanyl, diabetes drug Ozempic, HRT patches for menopause, and medication for ADHD are in short supply.

Patients are stuck in a loop between pharmacies and doctors trying to fill prescriptions for vital medicines which are frequently out of stock, a pharmacist has warned.

Treatment for psychiatric illnesses, pain relief containing fentanyl, diabetes drug Ozempic, HRT patches for menopause, and medication for ADHD are coming up short around the country. 

Ozempic, a diabetes drug, is widely popular as a weight-loss drug, although it is not licensed for this in Europe.

Daragh Connolly, from Haven Pharmacy Connollys in Dungarvan, said the problem was with supplies of initiation doses for diabetic patients.

“We have enough stock to cover the people who are on the therapy and getting on well with it but we don’t seem to have enough stock to get people started on the lower doses,” he said.

Some older psychiatric medicines are also short, with perhaps only 100mg capsules available when 50mg is needed.

“We can’t halve a capsule,” he said, adding patients are understandably reluctant to try new medication.

Daragh Connolly from Haven Pharmacy Connollys in Dungarvan said Waterford, like other areas, was seeing 'huge difficulties' with HRT supply

They are also seeing “ a lot of difficulty” with some ADHD medications. These have strict legal requirements around use, which means new prescriptions are required.

“Currently we are involved unfortunately in a bit of a doom loop, with trying to contact GPs and making extra work for GPs,” he said.

A former president of the Irish Pharmacy Union, he said solutions include empowering pharmacists to make a wider range of substitutions.

Waterford, like other areas, is seeing “huge difficulties” with HRT supply, he said.

“That begs the question of how are we going to be able to get everybody in the audience a free pack in January,” he said.

“We are very much in favour of it but we are still waiting for the detail on it to come through from the Government."

Medicines are monitored by the Health Products Regulatory Authority. 

They have met HRT manufacturers about the shortages, a spokeswoman said.

Factors behind this include manufacturing delays and insufficient availability of the active substances needed to make HRT.

In recent months, she said “shortages have been compounded by a significant increase in demand for HRT globally”.

The crisis has also hit some pain-relief products containing fentanyl. These are used in specific cancer treatments. 

It will be mid-December before three types of Effentora tablets will be back in stock, she said. 

This is linked to manufacturing delays in multiple countries.

One Actiq product is also out until next month due to a shipping delay affecting Ireland only. However, as of Wednesday, Abstral products should be available to order.