Epilepsy and bipolar medication out of stock until mid-April

A medicine supply notification has been issued for sodium valproate (Epilim Chronosphere), an anticonvulsant and mood stabiliser used to treat bipolar disorder and epilepsy.

Sodium valproate (Epilim Chronosphere) 100mg modified release granules sachets sugar free will be out of stock from late February until mid-April 2026.

Alternative sodium valproate products remain available.

A copy of this medicine supply notification, including supporting information, has been sent to all pharmacy NHS email addresses.

DHSC and NHS England’s online Medicines Supply Tool provides up-to-date information about medicine supply issues. An NHS email address is required to access the tool.

In December 2025, a new study found that prescribing sodium valproate to under 55s where prescriptions require sign off from two specialists had had a significant impact on the use of the drug.

The stricter approval process introduced in 2023 led to a large drop in the number of women being prescribed the anti-seizure drug which can cause birth defects when taken in pregnancy.

Another observational study found a possible association between valproate use by men and a small increased risk of a range of neurodevelopmental disorders in their children when compared to men prescribed lamotrigine or levetiracetam.