Pharmacies across the UK have issued a serious warning about supply issues affecting ramipril, a widely prescribed high blood pressure medication. A serious shortage protocol has been announced for ramipril 1.25mg capsules, meaning patients can only receive a month's supply at a time.
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) reports that three million items of ramipril are prescribed every month in England. The medication works by widening blood vessels to ease blood flow.
NPA chairman Olivier Picard expressed concern over the shortage, noting that many pharmacies cannot order some strengths of ramipril and have seen costs surge. He urged the government to allow pharmacists to substitute prescriptions to avoid patients having to return to their GPs.
Picard highlighted that the global supply chain fragility, worsened by international instability and underfunding of pharmacies, has driven medicine prices to unsustainable levels. The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.
