Tell patients not to worry - other brands are available
Shortages of EpiPen adrenaline auto- injectors have been widely reported in the media recently. This may cause concern to many patients who may be required to carry it with them at all times. It is important to note, however, that there are alternative brands of the adrenaline auto-injectors available in the UK. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) published guidance in August 2017 on the use of adrenaline auto-injectors following an European review.
Availability of adrenaline auto- injectors
The NPA Pharmacy team regularly contacts manufacturers to check the availability of various adrenaline auto-injectors.You are strongly advised to contact the NPA Pharmacy team, your wholesaler or the manufacturer directly for the latest information on stock availability as required.
What to do if your patient is usually prescribed a speci c brand of adrenaline auto-injector (for example, EpiPen) and it is unavailable/out of stock?
If the patient’s speci c brand of adrenaline auto-injector is unavailable/out of stock, the following suggested process may assist you from a patient safety perspective:
For all patients/carers /parents — provide the following MHRA advice
Anaphylaxis (MHRA advice continued)
Signs of a severe reaction include:
Kind regards,
Leyla Hannbeck MSc, MRPharmS, MBA
NPA Chief Pharmacist
For further information please contact the NPA on 01727 891800 or email pharmacyservices@npa.co.uk.
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