Diabetes medications NovoRapid PumpCart (insulin aspart) 100units/ml solution for injection 1.6ml cartridges is in limited supply until 2027, according to a recent medicines supply notification.
In a notice issued by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on 4 June, it said the medications cannot support new patient initiations.
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The DHSC added that alternative insulin aspart products including NovoRapid vials remain available and can support increased demand.
The mylife YpsoPump Reservoir, which can be self-filled with NovoRapid vials, also remains available.
A copy of the medicine supply notification, including supporting information, has been sent to all pharmacy NHS email addresses.
A separate update from DHSC also announced that the Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) for Estradot® 75micrograms/24hours patches (SSP080) and Estradot® 100micrograms/24hours patches (SSP081) have been further extended to Friday 10 October 2025.
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SSPs for the transdermal patches, containing oestradiol, a hormone used in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) were previously due to expire on 6 June 2025. These have been in SSP since December 2024.
The updates come after an ongoing shortage of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) medication, Creon, was described as the ‘worst stock shortage’ pharmacists have ever had to deal with last week.
In recent months concerns have been raised around the impact of medicines shortages on pharmacists. A Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) survey revealed in February that more than half of pharmacy professionals felt medicines shortages had impacted their mental health and wellbeing.
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According to a House of Commons research briefing which looked into medication shortages in the UK in April 2025, ‘supply chains for medicines are long and complex and shortages can be caused by multiple factors including manufacturing or distribution problems and increased demand for medicines’.
‘Commentators have also drawn attention to the effects of wider geopolitical factors, including the conflict in Ukraine, the covid-19 pandemic and Brexit,’ it said.
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