Where are the drugs?

[newnamethanks]

Steve Barclay MP, Health Minister? Is on tv avoiding any explanation for the absence of many of the everyday medicines we use and need. He suggests you can go to a pharmacy instead of the gp, ignoring the fact that it's obviously a problem in supply. Where are the common medicines we are used to? What's happened? Is it Brexit? Is it cost? Is it just here in UK or across EU? Does anyone know? AIBU to ask for proper explanation from government?

What do you need? I know a guy.. 😉

Excellent. I've got a list. Chloramphenicol 1% cream. Cocodamol 8/500 soluble. Anhistan cream. As for the coke, weed and ket, no shortages there? Quelle surprise, I bet they're doing well.

To be fair this is totally the way the Tories can win the war on drugs.

Centralise it and fuck up every aspect of the supply chain. Hey presto, no drugs.

I think some of it is due to a huge surge in everyone being diagnosed with something and wanting a quick fix.

Lots of coverage on tiktok about ADHD, so now lots more adults are getting assessed for ADHD then requesting medication.

Similarly, lots more media coverage of menopause these days so more women are going to the GP about menopausal symptoms and requesting HRT, hence GPs are running low on that too.

Depression, anxiety etc are on the increase and the funding for counselling is not there, so tablets are a quick fix to get people back out the GP's door. More prescriptions use up the stock, hence supplies run low.

FWIW, many, many studies have shown that exercise and improvements to diet are the best way to treat a number of physical and mental health issues, but people are often not willing or are unable to put in the effort, and prefer to rely on pills.

So to answer your question, society as a whole is responsible for the missing drugs, because people would rather be medicated and feel that there is nothing else they can do to change their situation, than get up off their bums, run around the block, stop eating family-size chocolate bars/bags of crisps, takeaways, booze, fizzy/highly caffeinated drinks.

Chloramphenicol 1% is an ointment not cream?! That and co-codamol soluble both available in my local pharmacy.

Plenty that we can’t get hold of though!!

Also in regards to ADHD medication - for a lot of them the brand patents are about to expire. Once generics are approved and produced then the stock will be freely available

HRT has had supply issues for years.

I am having huge problems accessing the following and have done for months:

Frovatriptan 2.5mg tablets
Fluticasone nasal spray
Hyoscine patches (scopolamine)

This causes enormous issues for me as I am struggling to treat my migraine and associated nausea and vomiting which has a knock on effect on my ability to work and damages my teeth still further.

I'm also struggling with snoring which also causes bad headaches which frequently develop into migraine.

I've burned through most triptans, so there's no alternatives. I vomit up pills and alternatives no longer work if I can keep them down so the nausea patches are a godsend and last for days, and alternative nasal sprays are ineffective.

Fuck this government.

This is quite offensive, particularly the last part. I hope you do not work with the general public as your job, because you sound incredibly ignorant and non empathetic.

Cannot find my adhd medication anywhere. Yes exercise and good diet helps. But no elvanse = no motivation (adhd symptom) means no exercise. And means more booze and chocolate.

Truck drivers from the continent are in no hurry to travel to the UK in the first place

Licensing for the UK is now separate from Europe and truckers transporting controlled drugs have to pay a lot more for their licences in order to run the gauntlet through European ports

There is little provision for truck drivers here in the UK, with food, fuel and accomodation all more expensive than on the continent

So Brexit, lack of amenities and lack of a warm welcome when they get here are all playing a part in a general lack of anything valuable which isn't shipped in by sea

i think that poster needs to spend less time on TikTok, many many studies have shown that steering clear of that kind of stimulation are the best way to improve critical thinking skills and empathy.

You are offended that I think most people could improve their health with better diet and exercise?

Brexit is a biggie here- there's no getting away from it. Lots of HGV companies are stating they don't want UK trips due to the hassle involved and lots of the big pharma manufacturing plants are EU or Swiss based.

There is also the fact that post covid there will likely have been a rise in volume of products needed for market - and that's an international need.

I'm not on tiktok, but I am aware of a huge surge in ADHD content on sites like this. This leads to lots of adults now pushing for assessments, and consequently the waiting list is now something like 2 years for a lot of children who could do with a quicker assessment so that early interventions at school and home can take place. Medication doesn't work for everyone with ADHD. Medication doesn't help with all of the symptoms of ADHD. GPs don't always prescribe for ADHD. Many people with ADHD don't want to take medication due to increased risk of Parkinson's disease. So rather than waiting 2 years for the potential of getting medication that may or may not help, I think it is wise to look at other strategies that might help. This is critical thinking.

People have often already tried these strategies and others for many years, while desperately struggling, before trying medication. Trying medication doesn't mean people haven't been willing to take action to help themselves.

I agree. I think there are lots of people who have tried lots of things to try to help themselves, and that is why you need multiple strategies - because different things work for different people.

I also think there are some people who could help themselves more by trying different strategies, but don't. I'm not saying anyone specifically and I'm not trying to be offensive in my responses, but I am sure everyone on Mumsnet can think of at least one person in their life who could improve their own health by making different lifestyle choices.