UK patients told ‘not to worry’ over medicine supply amid Iran war
Despite possible links to the conflict in Iran, patients have been advised “not to worry” about concerns about drug supply.
While reassurances are offered, pharmacy institutions are recognizing early warning signs.
The Independent Pharmacists Association has warned that the UK faces a “perfect storm of factors increasing medicine shortages”.
The National Board of Pharmacy Association (NPA) adds that pharmacists are seeing “evidence of increasing price increases” for medications, a potential early warning of supply constraints.
But the NPA stressed the UK “has not yet seen” any conflict-related shortages and urged patients not to worry.
Chief Executive Dr Leyla Hannbeck said: “The UK pharmacy sector is heavily reliant on imports, particularly from India and China, and ongoing pressures, from rising energy costs to limited raw materials resulting from the Middle East conflict, are already disrupting supply and risking further worsening shortages unless decisive action is taken.”
Olivier Picard, President of the National Association of Pharmacists, said: “The pharmaceutical supply chain is complex and fragile, and global trends and events in the Middle East have the potential to cause disruption, as with other products.
“We have already seen evidence of increasing price increases for medicines available to UK pharmacies in recent weeks, as the price of supplies has risen, which could be an early sign of supply pressures.
“Medication supply issues vary from month to month, and pharmacies are doing their best to ensure patients get the medications they need.
“If these pressures increase, the state must support them.
“We have yet to see the shortages in the UK that result directly from this conflict.
“Although there is a risk of disruption, especially if this conflict continues for a long time, this is extremely difficult to predict.
“We advise patients not to worry, but to plan ahead and follow the advice of their local pharmacy, which will help them get prescriptions on time.
“The government must do all it can to reduce this and maintain the supply of medicines to the UK through alternative global supply routes.”
A Government spokesman said: “There are currently no medicine shortages reported due to conflict in the Middle East.
“We continue to monitor the situation closely for any impact on the medical supply chain.
“The Department is actively monitoring emerging threats to resilience and has established processes to manage disruption to the health and social care sector.”
