The Department of Health and Social Care (DH) has issued a medicine supply notification for six oral contraceptive tablets of various brands.
The following oral contraceptive preparations are currently out of stock.
| Product affected | Ingredients | Anticipated Resupply Date | Management Advice |
| Brevinor | Ethinylestradiol/norethisterone 35microgram/500 microgram tablets | Early January 2021 | No exact equivalent available |
| Eloine | Ethinylestradiol/ drospirenone 20 microgram /3mg tablet | October 2020 | Unlicensed imports of Eloine have been sourced, lead times vary |
| Norimin | Ethinylestradiol/norethisterone 35microgram/1mg tablets | Early January 2021 | No exact equivalent available |
| Synphase | Ethinylestradiol/norethisterone/ 35microgram/500microgram and 35microgram/1mg tablets | Early January 2021 | Unlicensed imports of Synphase tablets have been sourced; lead times vary. |
| Yiznell | Ethinylestradiol/drospirenone 30microgram/3mg tablets | November 2020 | Equivalent alternatives with same composition remain available from suppliers of following brands: Dretine, Yacella, Yasmin, Ellaite and Lucette. |
| Zoely | Estradiol/nomegestrol 1.5mg/2.5mg tablets | Mid October 2020 | No exact equivalent available |
The importers including Clinigen, Mawdsley’s Unlicensed, and Target Healthcare have confirmed that they can source unlicensed imports of Synphase tablets.
Community pharmacists can reach Alium, Mawdsley’s Unlicensed, Target Healthcare, and Durbin for unlicensed imports of Eloine tablets.
There is currently no listing on dm+d for the imported product for prescribers to select using their prescribing systems so an EPS prescription for unlicensed Synphase tablets cannot be issued.
If a prescriber wishes to prescribe an unlicensed import, an FP10 paper prescription should be issued as ‘Ethinylestradiol/norethisterone/ 35microgram/500microgram and 35microgram/1mg tablets (Special Order)‘ and endorsed by the pharmacy as a non-Part VIIIB special.
Cat Smith, Labour MP for Lancaster and Wyre