The prescription drugs pharmacists say at 'critical' supply risk in Northern Ireland

Medicines to treat health conditions such as osteoporosis and high blood pressure are among those facing shortages in Northern Ireland, pharmacists have warned.

It comes as an emergency meeting of Stormont's all-party group on Community Pharmacy took place on Tuesday to discuss the issue.

The Health Department says it's finalising a £5.3m support package for the sector, and that arrangements are in place to ensure patients continue to get the medicines they need.

However Community Pharmacy NI says the following prescription drugs are being impacted:

• Alendronic Acid 70mg tablets (osteoporosis).

• Lercanidipine tablets (blood pressure)

• Fluoxetine 20mg capsules (anti-depressants)

• Esomeprazole tablets (gastric disorders)

• Finasteride tablets (prostate conditions)

Pharmacists say the shortages come as the price of many medicines has "skyrocketed".

They have asked health officials for "an immediate injection of funding to help pharmacists deal with these pricing issues".

The department says it is "very aware of the pressures facing community pharmacies".

It says it is working on a packaged with "immediate interventions worth over £5.3m in value, plus a commitment to progress wider reform arrangements in collaboration with CPNI".

It added: "The health minister and department would like to reassure the public that there are national and locally tried and trusted mitigation arrangements in place for dealing with any supply distributions to ensure that patients continue to get the medicines they need."

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