Latest news with #AlfieBailey-Bearfield
North Wales Live
02-06-2025
- Health
- North Wales Live
Cancer patients hit by key drug shortage
Patients battling cancer are facing severe difficulties due to a dire lack of the essential medication Creon which over 60,000 UK patients rely on. The shortage has prompted some people to only eat once a day as they ration their supplies, according to warnings from pharmacists. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said those suffering from pancreatic cancer, cystic fibrosis, and chronic pancreatitis are affected by this shortage and some are travelling over 30 miles in desperate search of the medication. Creon serves as a vital pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (Pert) that helps patients properly digest food and absorb its nutrients. Recent data from an NPA survey of 300 pharmacies revealed a startling 96% are experiencing issues stocking Creon, with 89% also saying they've struggled to provide alternative Pert treatments. Patient hardships reported include cases where individuals have resorted to consuming only one meal a day to make their supply of Creon last longer, as well as people going without medication or travelling across multiple pharmacies to find some. A pharmacist has expressed their concern, labelling this the "worst stock shortage" ever encountered in their profession. In response, the Government has decided to extend the serious shortage protocols (SSP) for Creon up until November. Stay informed on the latest health news by signing up to our newsletter here. These rules allow pharmacists to dispense a smaller number of available Creon capsules without requiring patients to go back to their GP for a renewed prescription. The NPA survey also discovered that a significant 81% of pharmacies believe the current procedures for managing the shortage of Creon fall short of what is needed. The study revealed that pharmacists are still having to redirect patients back for new prescriptions for an alternative Pert product, or an unlicensed Creon product. Olivier Picard, chairman of the NPA, said: "Pharmacies are at the sharp end of medicine shortages, spending hours hunting stock and supporting frustrated and concerned patients. "It simply cannot be right that in the 21st century patients are skipping meals in order to ration their medication. "Although we recognise this situation is complex and not the fault of the Government, it's important they convene a taskforce and a national action plan to tackle this particular shortage given its impact on patients. Alfie Bailey-Bearfield, head of influencing and health improvement at Pancreatic Cancer UK, added: "Thousands of people affected by pancreatic cancer rely on taking Pert tablets every time they eat simply to digest their food and absorb nutrients – something most of us take for granted. "It's totally unacceptable that they are still taking desperate measures which puts their health, wellbeing and their eligibility for treatment at risk. "For over a year, we have been raising concerns with Department of Health and Social Care officials and Pert suppliers, urging them to prioritise solutions that reduce the impact on patients. "But despite these conversations, progress has been far too slow and patients continue to pay the price. The situation is unacceptable and it demands immediate action." A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: "We know how frustrating and distressing medicine supply issues can be for patients and the clinicians caring for them. "The European-wide supply issues with Creon are caused by a limited availability of raw ingredients and manufacturing capacity constraints. We are working closely with industry and the NHS to mitigate the impact on patients and resolve the issues as quickly as possible."
Wales Online
02-06-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Cancer patients hit by key drug shortage
Cancer patients hit by key drug shortage Some patients are travelling more than 30 miles to get hold of Creon Creon helps patients to properly digest food (Image: Getty Images ) Patients battling cancer are facing severe difficulties due to a dire lack of the essential medication Creon which over 60,000 UK patients rely on. The shortage has prompted some people to only eat once a day as they ration their supplies, according to warnings from pharmacists. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said those suffering from pancreatic cancer, cystic fibrosis, and chronic pancreatitis are affected by this shortage and some are travelling over 30 miles in desperate search of the medication. Creon serves as a vital pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (Pert) that helps patients properly digest food and absorb its nutrients. Recent data from an NPA survey of 300 pharmacies revealed a startling 96% are experiencing issues stocking Creon, with 89% also saying they've struggled to provide alternative Pert treatments. Patient hardships reported include cases where individuals have resorted to consuming only one meal a day to make their supply of Creon last longer, as well as people going without medication or travelling across multiple pharmacies to find some. A pharmacist has expressed their concern, labelling this the "worst stock shortage" ever encountered in their profession. Article continues below In response, the Government has decided to extend the serious shortage protocols (SSP) for Creon up until November. Stay informed on the latest health news by signing up to our newsletter here . These rules allow pharmacists to dispense a smaller number of available Creon capsules without requiring patients to go back to their GP for a renewed prescription. The NPA survey also discovered that a significant 81% of pharmacies believe the current procedures for managing the shortage of Creon fall short of what is needed. The study revealed that pharmacists are still having to redirect patients back for new prescriptions for an alternative Pert product, or an unlicensed Creon product. Olivier Picard, chairman of the NPA, said: "Pharmacies are at the sharp end of medicine shortages, spending hours hunting stock and supporting frustrated and concerned patients. "It simply cannot be right that in the 21st century patients are skipping meals in order to ration their medication. "Although we recognise this situation is complex and not the fault of the Government, it's important they convene a taskforce and a national action plan to tackle this particular shortage given its impact on patients. Alfie Bailey-Bearfield, head of influencing and health improvement at Pancreatic Cancer UK, added: "Thousands of people affected by pancreatic cancer rely on taking Pert tablets every time they eat simply to digest their food and absorb nutrients – something most of us take for granted. "It's totally unacceptable that they are still taking desperate measures which puts their health, wellbeing and their eligibility for treatment at risk. "For over a year, we have been raising concerns with Department of Health and Social Care officials and Pert suppliers, urging them to prioritise solutions that reduce the impact on patients. "But despite these conversations, progress has been far too slow and patients continue to pay the price. The situation is unacceptable and it demands immediate action." A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: "We know how frustrating and distressing medicine supply issues can be for patients and the clinicians caring for them. Article continues below "The European-wide supply issues with Creon are caused by a limited availability of raw ingredients and manufacturing capacity constraints. We are working closely with industry and the NHS to mitigate the impact on patients and resolve the issues as quickly as possible."
Wales Online
02-06-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Cancer patients unable to get key drug in 'worst shortage ever'
Cancer patients unable to get key drug in 'worst shortage ever' The drug is used by more than 60,000 people with cancer, cystic fibrosis and other chronic conditions Empty shelves in a pharmacy Cancer patients are being hit by a critical shortage of a key drug, while some people are only eating once a day to ration supplies, pharmacists have warned. The ongoing shortage of Creon, which is needed by patients with pancreatic cancer, cystic fibrosis and chronic pancreatitis, means some are also travelling more than 30 miles to get hold of supply, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said. Creon is a pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (Pert) which helps people digest food and absorb its nutrients. It is thought more than 60,000 patients in the UK need Creon. An NPA survey of 300 pharmacies found 96% were having trouble supplying Creon, with 89% also reporting difficulties in supplying Pert alternatives. Examples of patients in distress included those eating one meal a day to ration their Creon, people going without medication or travelling long distances and contacting numerous pharmacies in an attempt to find stock. One pharmacist said this was the 'worst stock shortage' they have ever had to deal with. The Government has extended the current serious shortage protocols (SSP) in place for Creon until November. This allows pharmacists to supply a reduced quantity of Creon capsules that might be in stock, without having to send a patient back to their GP for a new prescription. The NPA survey also found that 81% of pharmacies felt the current arrangements for managing shortages of Creon were inadequate. It found pharmacists are still having to refer patients back for new prescriptions for an alternative Pert product, stock permitting, or an unlicensed Creon product. Olivier Picard, chairman of the NPA, said: 'Pharmacies are at the sharp end of medicine shortages, spending hours hunting stock and supporting frustrated and concerned patients. 'As this distressing survey shows ongoing supply problems with Creon has had a profound effect on the patients who depend on it to survive and lead a normal life. It simply cannot be right that in the 21st century patients are skipping meals in order to ration their medication. 'Medicine shortages not only cause huge inconvenience but can risk serious patient safety issues, particular in the cases of Perts including Creon. Although we recognise this situation is complex and not the fault of the Government, it's important they convene a taskforce and a national action plan to tackle this particular shortage given its impact on patients. 'Medicine shortages are all too common so highly trained pharmacists should also be permitted to use their professional judgment to supply alternative medicines – where it is safe and appropriate – in the event of the prescribed version being unavailable.' Alfie Bailey-Bearfield, head of influencing and health improvement at Pancreatic Cancer UK, said: 'These deeply worrying findings echo the distress and frustration we are hearing from patients and their loved ones across the UK. Thousands of people affected by pancreatic cancer rely on taking Pert tablets every time they eat simply to digest their food and absorb nutrients – something most of us take for granted. 'It's totally unacceptable that they are still taking desperate measures which puts their health, wellbeing and their eligibility for treatment at risk. For over a year, we have been raising concerns with Department of Health and Social Care officials and Pert suppliers, urging them to prioritise solutions that reduce the impact on patients. 'But despite these conversations, progress has been far too slow and patients continue to pay the price. Resolving the shortages demands strong, national leadership from the UK Government. It is critical that they take immediate, decisive action and explore every available option to increase supply, including directly purchasing this vital medication from countries with a surplus. Article continues below 'This crisis continues to put people's health on the line, and they cannot afford to wait any longer. The situation is unacceptable and it demands immediate action.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: 'We know how frustrating and distressing medicine supply issues can be for patients and the clinicians caring for them. The European-wide supply issues with Creon are caused by a limited availability of raw ingredients and manufacturing capacity constraints. 'We are working closely with industry and the NHS to mitigate the impact on patients and resolve the issues as quickly as possible.'
