NHS Medicine Shortages: Full List of Medicines Affected in 2026

Medicine supply problems are continuing to affect patients and pharmacies across England, with hundreds of medicines facing availability or pricing difficulties.

The latest figures reported in September 2026 show that 243 medicines were included on the NHS price concessions list at the end of August. The list provides an indication of medicines that pharmacies have struggled to obtain at the standard reimbursement price.

The shortages cover a broad range of treatments, including medicines for heart conditions, high blood pressure, mental health conditions, pain, diabetes, epilepsy, gastrointestinal problems and hormone replacement therapy.

Some supply problems could continue for months, with certain medicines not expected to return to normal availability until 2027.

Why are medicines in short supply?

There are several factors that can contribute to medicine shortages. Pharmaceutical supply chains depend on manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and pharmacies, while prices can also change significantly because of international market conditions.

In England, pharmacies generally receive a set reimbursement amount from the NHS for medicines they dispense. When the price a pharmacy has to pay to obtain a medicine rises above that reimbursement amount, the Department of Health and Social Care can introduce a price concession.

This system is intended to help pharmacies manage increased purchasing costs. However, a price concession does not necessarily mean that every pharmacy will have the medicine immediately available.

Which medicines are affected?

The reported list contains medicines across many different categories.

Cardiovascular medicines include treatments such as ramipril, bisoprolol, candesartan, carvedilol and rivaroxaban. Several antidepressants are also included, including fluoxetine, mirtazapine, sertraline and venlafaxine.

Other medicines on the list include paracetamol, antibiotics, epilepsy medicines, diabetes treatments, HRT products, pain medicines and medicines for digestive conditions.

The source also reports serious supply protocols affecting medicines including lansoprazole, ramipril, Estradot and Creon. Under a serious shortage protocol, restrictions can apply to the quantity supplied to patients while the protocol remains in force.

What should patients do?

If your usual prescription is unavailable, speak to your pharmacist rather than stopping treatment yourself.

A pharmacist may be able to source the medicine from another supplier or explain whether an alternative formulation or treatment needs to be considered. Where a prescription needs to be changed, the appropriate healthcare professional can advise on the safest option.

Patients should not purchase prescription medicines from unverified online sellers simply because their usual pharmacy does not have stock.

It is also sensible for people who take regular medication to request prescriptions with enough time for pharmacies to deal with potential supply difficulties.

Full list of medicines on the price concessions list

According to the supplied source, the following medicines were listed at the end of August 2026:

A

• Acamprosate 333mg gastro-resistant tablets
• Aceclofenac 100mg tablets
• Aciclovir 400mg tablets
• Alfacalcidol 500nanogram capsules
• Alfentanil 1mg/2ml solution for injection ampoules
• Amiodarone 200mg tablets
• Amoxicillin 250mg/5ml oral suspension
• Apixaban 2.5mg tablets
• Apixaban 5mg tablets
• Aqueous cream
• Aripiprazole 10mg tablets
• Ascorbic acid 100mg tablets
• Ascorbic acid 200mg tablets
• Ascorbic acid 500mg tablets
• Aspirin 75mg dispersible tablets
• Aspirin 75mg gastro-resistant tablets
• Aspirin 75mg tablets
• Atomoxetine 10mg capsules
• Atomoxetine 40mg capsules
• Atomoxetine 60mg capsules
• Atomoxetine 80mg capsules
• Atorvastatin 60mg tablets
• Azathioprine 50mg tablets

B

• Bendroflumethiazide 2.5mg tablets
• Betahistine 16mg tablets
• Bicalutamide 150mg tablets
• Bicalutamide 50mg tablets
• Bisoprolol 1.25mg tablets
• Bisoprolol 10mg tablets
• Bisoprolol 2.5mg tablets
• Bisoprolol 3.75mg tablets
• Bisoprolol 5mg tablets
• Bisoprolol 7.5mg tablets

C

• Candesartan 16mg tablets
• Candesartan 2mg tablets
• Candesartan 32mg tablets
• Candesartan 4mg tablets
• Candesartan 8mg tablets
• Carvedilol 12.5mg tablets
• Carvedilol 25mg tablets
• Carvedilol 3.125mg tablets
• Carvedilol 6.25mg tablets
• Chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops
• Chloramphenicol 1% eye ointment
• Chlordiazepoxide 10mg capsules
• Chlordiazepoxide 5mg capsules
• Chlorpromazine 25mg tablets
• Chlorpromazine 50mg tablets
• Clomipramine 25mg capsules
• Clonazepam 2mg/5ml oral solution sugar free
• Clotrimazole 500mg pessaries
• Clotrimazole 500mg pessary and Clotrimazole 2% cream
• Co-amilofruse 5mg/40mg tablets
• Co-amilozide 2.5mg/25mg tablets
• Co-amilozide 5mg/50mg tablets
• Co-codamol 15mg/500mg tablets
• Co-codamol 8mg/500mg capsules
• Co-codamol 8mg/500mg effervescent tablets
• Codeine 15mg tablets
• Codeine 30mg tablets
• Colecalciferol 1,000unit capsules
• Co-trimoxazole 80mg/400mg tablets
• Cyanocobalamin 50microgram tablets

D

• Dabigatran etexilate 110mg capsules
• Dabigatran etexilate 150mg capsules
• Dapagliflozin 10mg tablets
• Desmopressin 120microgram sublingual tablets sugar free
• Dexamethasone 0.1% eye drops 0.3ml unit dose preservative free
• Dexamfetamine 5mg tablets
• Diclofenac sodium 50mg gastro-resistant tablets
• Digoxin 125microgram tablets
• Digoxin 250microgram tablets
• Digoxin 62.5microgram tablets
• Dipyridamole 200mg modified-release capsules
• Domperidone 1mg/ml oral suspension sugar free
• Doxazosin 4mg tablets

E

• Enalapril 2.5mg tablets
• Eplerenone 25mg tablets
• Eplerenone 50mg tablets
• Erythromycin 250mg gastro-resistant tablets
• Erythromycin ethyl succinate 125mg/5ml oral suspension
• Erythromycin ethyl succinate 125mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free
• Erythromycin ethyl succinate 250mg/5ml oral suspension
• Erythromycin ethyl succinate 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free
• Esomeprazole 20mg gastro-resistant tablets
• Esomeprazole 40mg gastro-resistant tablets
• Ezetimibe 10mg tablets

F

• Fenofibrate micronised 200mg capsules
• Fesoterodine 4mg modified-release tablets
• Fesoterodine 8mg modified-release tablets
• Fexofenadine 180mg tablets
• Flecainide 100mg tablets
• Flecainide 50mg tablets
• Flucloxacillin 125mg/5ml oral solution
• Flucloxacillin 1g powder for solution for injection vials
• Flucloxacillin 250mg powder for solution for injection vials
• Flucloxacillin 250mg/5ml oral solution
• Flucloxacillin 250mg/5ml oral solution sugar free
• Flucloxacillin 500mg powder for solution for injection vials
• Fluoxetine 10mg capsules
• Fluoxetine 20mg/5ml oral solution
• Fluoxetine 20mg/5ml oral solution sugar free
• Folic acid 400microgram tablets

G

• Gabapentin 300mg capsules
• Gabapentin 50mg/ml oral solution sugar free
• Gliclazide 160mg tablets
• Gliclazide 40mg tablets
• Glucose powder for oral use BP 1980
• Glycopyrronium bromide 600micrograms/3ml solution for injection ampoules

H

• Haloperidol 1.5mg tablets
• Haloperidol 5mg tablets
• Hydrocortisone 1% cream
• Hydrocortisone 1% ointment
• Hydroxychloroquine 200mg tablets
• Hyoscine butylbromide 20mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules

I

• Indapamide 1.5mg modified-release tablets
• Indapamide 2.5mg tablets
• Indometacin 25mg capsules
• Indometacin 50mg capsules
• Isosorbide mononitrate 30mg tablets
• Itraconazole 100mg capsules

L

• Labetalol 100mg tablets
• Lacidipine 4mg tablets
• Lacosamide 200mg tablets
• Lamotrigine 100mg tablets
• Lamotrigine 200mg tablets
• Lamotrigine 25mg tablets
• Lansoprazole 15mg orodispersible tablets
• Lansoprazole 30mg orodispersible tablets
• Leflunomide 10mg tablets
• Leflunomide 20mg tablets
• Levetiracetam 100mg/ml oral solution sugar free
• Levetiracetam 1g tablets
• Levetiracetam 750mg tablets
• Levothyroxine sodium 12.5microgram tablets
• Levothyroxine sodium 75microgram tablets
• Lisinopril 10mg tablets
• Lisinopril 20mg tablets
• Lofepramine 70mg tablets
• Loratadine 5mg/5ml oral solution
• Lymecycline 408mg capsules

M

• Melatonin 2mg modified-release tablets
• Meloxicam 15mg tablets
• Meloxicam 7.5mg tablets
• Metformin 1g modified-release tablets
• Metoclopramide 10mg tablets
• Mirtazapine 15mg orodispersible tablets
• Mirtazapine 15mg tablets
• Mirtazapine 30mg orodispersible tablets
• Mirtazapine 30mg tablets
• Mirtazapine 45mg orodispersible tablets
• Mirtazapine 45mg tablets
• Modafinil 100mg tablets
• Mometasone 0.1% cream
• Morphine sulfate 10mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules

N

• Naftidrofuryl 100mg capsules
• Nefopam 30mg tablets
• Nicorandil 10mg tablets
• Nicorandil 20mg tablets
• Nicotine 4mg medicated chewing gum sugar free
• Nifedipine 10mg capsules
• Nifedipine 5mg capsules
• Nortriptyline 10mg tablets
• Nortriptyline 25mg tablets
• Nortriptyline 50mg tablets

O

• Ondansetron 4mg tablets
• Orlistat 120mg capsules
• Oxybutynin 10mg modified-release tablets
• Oxybutynin 2.5mg tablets
• Oxybutynin 5mg modified-release tablets
• Oxybutynin 5mg tablets
• Oxycodone 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free
• Oxytetracycline 250mg tablets

P

• Paracetamol 500mg tablets
• Perindopril erbumine 8mg tablets
• Phenobarbital 15mg tablets
• Phenobarbital 30mg tablets
• Phenobarbital 60mg tablets
• Pregabalin 100mg capsules
• Pregabalin 150mg capsules
• Pregabalin 200mg capsules
• Pregabalin 225mg capsules
• Pregabalin 50mg capsules
• Pregabalin 75mg capsules
• Prochlorperazine 3mg buccal tablets
• Progesterone micronised 100mg capsules
• Promethazine hydrochloride 25mg tablets
• Propantheline bromide 15mg tablets
• Prucalopride 2mg tablets
• Pyridostigmine bromide 60mg tablets

Q

• Quetiapine 25mg tablets
• Quinine sulfate 300mg tablets

R

• Rabeprazole 10mg gastro-resistant tablets
• Rabeprazole 20mg gastro-resistant tablets
• Ramipril 1.25mg capsules
• Ramipril 1.25mg tablets
• Ramipril 10mg capsules
• Ramipril 10mg tablets
• Ramipril 2.5mg capsules
• Ramipril 2.5mg tablets
• Ramipril 5mg capsules
• Ramipril 5mg tablets
• Ranolazine 375mg modified-release tablets
• Ranolazine 500mg modified-release tablets
• Ranolazine 750mg modified-release tablets
• Rivaroxaban 10mg tablets
• Rivaroxaban 15mg tablets
• Rivaroxaban 20mg tablets
• Rivastigmine 1.5mg capsules
• Rivastigmine 3mg capsules
• Ropinirole 250microgram tablets
• Ropinirole 2mg tablets

S

• Senna 7.5mg tablets
• Sertraline 100mg tablets
• Sertraline 50mg tablets
• Simvastatin 40mg tablets
• Sotalol 80mg tablets
• Sumatriptan 100mg tablets
• Sumatriptan 50mg tablets

T

• Tamoxifen 20mg tablets
• Tamsulosin 400microgram / Dutasteride 500microgram capsules
• Tapentadol 50mg modified-release capsules
• Ticagrelor 90mg tablets
• Timolol 0.5% eye drops
• Travoprost 40micrograms/ml eye drops
• Trihexyphenidyl 2mg tablets

V

• Venlafaxine 37.5mg tablets
• Venlafaxine 75mg tablets
• Verapamil 40mg tablets
• Vitamins A and D capsules BPC 1973

W

• Warfarin 1mg tablets

Z

• Zolpidem 10mg tablets

What does the list mean for patients?

Being included on the price concessions list does not necessarily mean that a medicine is unavailable everywhere.

Supply can vary between wholesalers and individual pharmacies, and availability can change over time. Patients should therefore check with their pharmacist if they are concerned about a particular medicine.

The situation does highlight the pressure being placed on the medicine supply chain. Pharmacists may have to spend additional time locating stock, while prescribers can face extra work when alternatives are required.

Pharmacy representatives have called for greater government action to address the underlying supply problems. The National Pharmacy Association has described shortages affecting everyday medicines as increasingly worrying and has called for a task force to tackle supply chain issues.

Final thoughts

The continuing medicine shortage is an important issue for patients across England. The latest reported list contains medicines used for a wide range of health conditions, showing that supply problems are not limited to one particular type of treatment.

Some shortages may be temporary, while others are expected to continue into 2027.

If your regular medicine is unavailable, speak to your pharmacist or another qualified healthcare professional. Do not change your dose, stop treatment or switch to another medicine without professional advice.

Source

Community Pharmacy England as the source of the price concessions list. The supplied source states that the list is updated monthly and contained 243 medicines at the end of August 2026.

Disclaimer

This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Medicine availability can change quickly, and being included on a price concessions list does not necessarily mean that a medicine is unavailable at every pharmacy. Patients should speak to a pharmacist, GP or other qualified healthcare professional about their individual medication. Never stop or change prescribed medication without appropriate medical advice.