A serious shortage protocol (SSP) is now active for Ramipril 1.25mg capsules across the UK, according to the tracking website MediWatch, which monitors official data from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England daily. The alert affects patients in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
What the SSP means for patients
The DHSC issued Serious Shortage Protocol SSP087 on 22 April 2026, extending it past 29 May 2026. Under this protocol, community pharmacies can limit dispensing to a maximum of one month's supply per prescription, even if the prescription normally covers two or three months. No prescription charges apply when supplied under this protocol.
MediWatch advised patients to ask their pharmacist what the active SSP permits before accepting any alternative quantity, strength or formulation.
Alternatives and additional pressures
Ramipril 1.25mg and 2.5mg tablets, plus the oral solution, remain available, but the DHSC has warned they cannot meet increased demand if all capsule patients switch to these forms. Patients taking 1.25mg capsules are advised to contact their pharmacist about tablet alternatives now, before stocks of those run low too.
Separately, a Class 2 recall was issued on 20 April 2026 for one batch of Ramipril 10mg capsules (manufactured by Crescent Pharma) due to a packaging error — some cartons contained 5mg blister strips instead of 10mg. This is a safety issue, not a supply issue, but it adds pressure to the overall Ramipril supply chain.
Ramipril's importance
Ramipril is an ACE inhibitor, one of the most commonly prescribed blood pressure medications in the UK. Over 35 million Ramipril items were dispensed in England alone during 2025, making it one of the top ten prescribed drugs in the country. It belongs to a family of medicines that all work in a similar way, but Ramipril is particularly favoured because it has a long half-life and can be taken once daily.
Propranolol also under alert
MediWatch also reported that Propranolol modified-release capsules are present in current active official shortage data, under a "medium" alert. Propranolol 40mg and 80mg immediate-release tablets remain available and can support increased demand.
Propranolol is a beta-blocker used for high blood pressure, anxiety, migraine prevention and essential tremor. The modified-release (slow-acting) capsules are affected; the immediate-release tablet versions remain fully available. Your GP may need to adjust your dosing schedule if switching from MR to immediate-release formulations, as MR capsules are typically taken once daily while IR tablets are usually taken two or three times a day.
