The shortage of some forms of hormone replacement therapy is a “massive problem” in London, the Standard has been told.
Pharmacists say the lack of supply of gels such as Oestrogel is also causing knock-on shortages of other HRT treatments as women search for alternatives.
One pharmacy in Highgate told the Standard that it had been “hell” dealing with the number of inquiries from desperate patients.
Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, said demand had increased due to GPs writing prescriptions for annual rather than monthly supplies for patients.
Proposed reductions in the cost of HRT – which could save patients more than £200 a year from next year – and increasing awareness of menopause treatments had also increased demand, she said.
This had combined with shortages of raw materials used to create the therapies causing supply problems for drugs firms.
“When we don’t have the product in stock, we inform the patient about it and contact the GP,” Dr Hannbeck said.
“If the patient has symptoms, we discuss an alternative with the prescriber, but it’s up to the prescriber to decide if it’s suitable for that patient.
“The problem we have at the moment is that we don’t really know when the next stock is going to be available. London is definitely affected. I spoke with several pharmacies two days ago and it’s a massive problem.”
One pharmacist in Walthamstow said he was unsure when supplies of Oestragel would resume. “It’s been out of stock for a couple of months,” he said. A pharmacy in Islington said: “We have not had it for the last three weeks.”
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has called for a change in regulations to allow pharmacists to offer alternative medications without patients having to return to their GP for a new prescription.
Professor Claire Anderson, president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said: “One solution would be to enable pharmacists to make minor changes to a prescription when something is out of stock. This is faster for patients and more efficient for the NHS.”
A Royal Pharmaceutical Society spokeswoman said: “Women in London who are experiencing difficulty in obtaining Oestrogel need to go back to their prescriber (usually their GP) to obtain equivalent alternative HRT preparations to tide them over till Oestrogel becomes available again.”
Besins Healthcare, which makes Oestrogel, said yesterday that it had had faced “exceptionally high demand” for the product over several months, resulting in supply shortages.
But it expects this to be a “short-term issue” and that wholesalers will be resupplied “soon”, according to the British Menopause Society.
The society advised women unable to get Oestrogel to consider Sandrena gel or Lenzetto spray medications.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid is to appoint a “HRT tsar” to improve supply and prevent shortages. Demand for HRT prescriptions has increased from about 300,000 a month to more than 500,000 a month.
Professor Azeem Majeed, head of primary care at Imperial College London, told the Standard: “Demand for HRT products has increased in recent years and this has also put pressure on supplies.
“My advice to women on HRT is to speak to their pharmacist about which preparations they have in stock or can obtain quickly, and which preparations are in short supply.
“There are a very large number of different HRT products and sometimes a preparation can be replaced by a similar one that is in stock.
“Pharmacists are better placed to give this advice than doctors, as it is pharmacists who order medication and so are in regular contact with HRT suppliers and therefore more up to date with supply issues.”
Maria Caulfield, the Minister for Women’s Health, said: “There are over 70 HRT products available in the UK, most of which remain in good supply, however we are aware of some issues with women being unable to access certain products.”
