Pharmacists are being allowed to supply alternative forms of penicillin due to shortages of supply caused by a surge in demand.
The Government has issued Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) for three penicillin medicines as from yesterday (Thursday, December 15), which can be utilised by pharmacists if they don’t happen to have the specific formulation stated on the prescription. By law, they can only supply what is on the prescription, but using an SSP allows them to legally supply a specified alternative medicine, removing the need for the patient to return to the prescriber, which is what normally happens.
SSPs are a standard procedure, used frequently to manage temporary and potential medicine supply issues. They are a safe and effective way to ensure that medicines continue to be available for everyone who needs them, while saving time for patients, pharmacists and prescribers.
