Common kids’ medicine on red alert over shortage that could last for MONTHS as UK drugs crisis deepens

A COMMON children’s medicine is currently on red alert due to ongoing drug supply issues. Parents have shared their struggles to access a laxative, with some describing the situation as very “worrying”. The medicine is given to children who suffer from chronic constipation Credit: Getty Images Movicol paediatic plain has been increasingly difficult to get hold of in recent months Credit: My Pharmacy Movicol Paediatric Plain is used to treat particularly bad or chronic constipation in children up to the age of 11 but in recent months, families across the UK have encountered shortages. Both pharmacies and patients have been experiencing supply issues with the drug since the spring. Sign up for the Health newsletter Thank you! It comes as drug shortages in England reached a record high earlier this year with one describing the situation as the “worst” he’d ever known. Pharmacy bodies have repeatedly called on the Government to tackle supply chain issues, warning that the current situation poses a “serious risk to patient safety”. One online pharmacy, Simply Meds Online, currently has a notice on its website informing patients that movicol is out of stock. “Unfortunately due to long-term national stock shortages, movicol plain sachets – 30 sachets – is currently unavailable,” it says. And in a Facebook post from July, a continence consultant and trainer explained that many families had shared with her “that they’re struggling to get their child’s [movicol] prescription because of shortages across the UK”. “I completely understand how worrying this can feel… especially when you’ve finally found something that helps your child, the thought of suddenly not being able to get it can bring a lot of worry,” she said. Most read in Health At the moment, it appears that only the plain flavour of movicol is experiencing supply issues. Movicol is a powder that is added to water and drank by children to help with chronic constipation or faecal impaction. For chronic constipation, it tends to be used for prolonged periods of time of at least six to 12 months. Its active ingredient is macrogol and while some types of the drug can be purchased from pharmacies, others are only available with a prescription. Other common brands that contain macrogol include laxido and cosmocol. Parents of children who use the drug have been advised to speak to their local pharmacy before their movicol prescription runs out to check if it is in stock. One parent shared online that when she went to pick up her five-year-old’s movicol prescription, she was only given one box of the medicine. The pharmacy then informed her that they were low in stock and were unable to source any more of the laxative due to issues with the supplier. Families who encounter this situation are advised to go back to their GP and ask for an alternative medicine, such as laxido or cosmocol. A comment on the same online forum also said: “I contacted the manufacturer and they have said there is a manufacturing issue and they don’t have a resolution date [for the shortage].” And many other parents chimed in, sharing that they have also faced issues in accessing the medicine for their children. One said they had request 60 sachets of movicol powder but were only given 20 initially. Parents have also posted on Instagram about supply issues with the medicine. This latest drug shortage comes as more than 200 medicines are in short supply in England. Other medicines facing supply issues include blood pressure drugs, HRT, and a life-saving cancer drug. Comment now