The Department of Health and Social Care has added all forms of aspirin to its list of medicines that cannot be exported or hoarded. The move, effective since 17 January, comes amid severe supply issues affecting patients across the country. Pharmacies report difficulty sourcing the drug, with low-dose 75mg tablets \u2013 essential for cardiovascular care \u2013 being the hardest hit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Community pharmacists are now being forced to ration existing stock, prioritising only the most vulnerable patients. According to the National Pharmacy Association (NPA<\/a>), over 85 percent of surveyed pharmacies reported being unable to supply aspirin to patients within a week<\/strong> of the shortage announcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The root causes of the aspirin shortage appear to stem from a combination of global manufacturing delays and systemic pricing issues within the NHS framework. According to Jane Kirby<\/strong> reporting for The Independent<\/em>, production slowdowns have led to lower stock levels, while market conditions have pushed UK supply down the list of manufacturer priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr Leyla Hannbeck<\/strong>, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association, explained that prices paid by the NHS <\/a>for many medicines are now so low that manufacturers often divert supply to countries offering higher returns. \u201cWhen limited stock becomes available then the prices shoot up to levels that become unaffordable for pharmacies to order<\/em>,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a result, some pharmacies are now operating at a loss. A packet of 75mg dispersible aspirin tablets, which cost 18p earlier last year, now costs \u00a33.90<\/strong> to order. Yet the NHS reimbursement for that same packet remains at \u00a32.18<\/strong>, meaning pharmacies lose \u00a31.72<\/strong> per unit dispensed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Olivier Picard<\/strong>, chair of the NPA, highlighted the urgency of revisiting the pharmacy contract: \u201cFor those pharmacies that can get hold of supply, costs will far exceed what they will be reimbursed by the NHS, yet more signs of a fundamentally broken pharmacy contract<\/em>.\u201d In several cases, pharmacies have been forced to stop offering aspirin for over-the-counter sales entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The implications of the shortage extend beyond economics. Pharmacists and healthcare leaders are increasingly concerned about the strain placed on daily operations, and the direct risks to patient care. According to James Davies<\/strong> of Community Pharmacy England,<\/a> one in four pharmacy teams now spend over two hours<\/strong> each day sourcing medicine alternatives, detracting from time available for other patient services.<\/p>\n\n\n\nManufacturing Delays and NHS Pricing under Scrutiny<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Strain on Pharmacies and Patient Safety<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n