To ask who is the definitive authority on whether a drug is being discontinued

[A0001]

Posting here for traffic.

DH has schizoaffective disorder and is on a drug that keeps him well.

He has been on this drug for over 20 years, and when put on an alternative in the past (it is old and therefore at one point doctors wanted to move him off it) he has become very poorly, very quickly.

As a result of one of the threads on Brexit a while back (which was talking about the risk of drugs produced overseas becoming hard to find), I googled DH's drug to see where it is produced, to find it is being discontinued about now and will stop being available at the end of the year.

DH has spoken to his GP and pharmacists who have spoken to the manufacturer who have said it's fine, his dose will continue to be produced.

Any googling seems to say this isn't right and production will stop in its entirety (i.e. multiple sources saying this)

Where can we go to get the definitive answer?

Thanks

The manufacturer, I would have thought, would be the place to ask.

The same medication may get produced under a generic name by another supplier?

The drug company is the one who decides. It is frustrating when companies stop making products for commercial reasons (doesn't make enough money) but that's capitalism for you. It might be available from outside the EU but costs will go up a lot, and supplies might be more unreliable. This is complicated by Brexit, as medicines licensing is tied to EU currently.

You didn't want to put the drug, but if it's an injection made by S-A then the info I've just looked at suggests all strengths are being discontinued. The top hit in Google for "antipsychotic being discontinued manufacturer" pulls up a letter from Devon healthcare partnership as a pdf - I would print and show to his prescriber as a plan is needed now.

Best of luck, I'm sorry this has happened.

Just re read the OP. If the pharmacist actually called the company, it's likely that info is correct. If the letter I mentioned refers to his strength, go back to the pharmacist and ask them to double check

The MHRA might be a place to start

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/medicines-and-healthcare-products-regulatory-agency

However, their SOP is to weasel out of doing their job. However you need to get a "sod off" from them to be able to engage your MP.

However be aware that the supply of a constellation of medicines in the UK is in flux at the moment. That includes medicines made in the UK under license, as the increase in licensing costs has made several medicines uncommercial.

As you can tell, I've had to go through this since a year ago, when a medicine I'm prescribed for glaucoma disappeared from the UK. The change of Health Minister won't help either.

Thank you all, and thank you for th for best wishes.

^the