Three products granted special container status from November

Three products will be granted special container status from 1 November 2025, following successful representations from Community Pharmacy England (CPE) to the Department of Health and Social Care.

The changes mean that pharmacy teams will be able to supply and be reimbursed for the nearest complete pack or subpack of the affected products, rather than adjusting quantities to fit within the original pack dispensing (OPD) 10% margin.

The affected products include:

• Desmopressin 120microgram sublingual tablets sugar free (Aspire Pharma Ltd) – 30 tablets – subpack of 10
• Desmopressin 120microgram sublingual tablets sugar free (Sandoz Ltd) – 30 tablets – subpack of 10
• Risdiplam 750micrograms/ml oral solution sugar free (Evrysdi^®75mg/ml oral solution (Roche Products Ltd)) – 80 ml – complete pack

The changes to special container status are in accordance with the special container criteria outlined in Part II Clause 10B of the Drug Tariff and the Original Pack Dispensing (OPD) exceptions outlined in the Human Medicines Regulations (HMR).

The HMR exceptions include:

• Medicines in a form that makes it not practicable to dispense in the exact quantity ordered;
• Medicines in a container that has an integral means of application or from which it is not practicable to dispense an exact quantity;
• Medicines that cannot be dispensed in the quantity ordered without adversely affecting the medicine

CPE continues to encourage pharmacy teams to flag any other products they believe should be reclassified, and to contact its dispensing and supply team to request a review.

Special container status is given if a product meets one or more of the three exceptions. When providing products with this status, pharmacy owners can supply and be reimbursed for the nearest pack size or combination of containers nearest to the quantity ordered.

From October, eight additional products were granted special container status.