Department of Health

Website of the Department of Health

Please note that this website has a UK government access keys system.

Medicines' supply

Includes guidance for pharmaceutical companies on discontinuing medicines, including who should be notified and consulted and the best practice to follow when a medicine is in short supply.

Discontinued medicines

Guidance on discontinuing a medicine, including who should be consulted and who should be notified at each stage of the process.

Notification and management of medicines shortages

Includes guidance for ABPI and BGMA members to help minimize the impact of a shortage of a medicine, including proformas for companies to use to notify the Department of Health about an impending shortage.

MHRA guidelines

These guidelines complement the statutory requirements to inform the Licensing Authority (the MHRA in the UK) of any disruptions to supply (the so-called 'sunset clause') under new European medicines legislation (Directive 2001/83/EC as amended). Information on complying with the relevant provisions can be found on the MHRA’s website at:

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