Epipens, what is going on?

[StealthPolarBear]

Apologies if there's another thread, couldn't see one.
How has this happened?

link?

There were some delays in the production which as caused a massive back log effect and they are trying drastically to catch up but the knock on effect has become fairly significant. There has been another drug approved which is also cheaper but it's only just been approved so production will take some time.

here sorry. I thought I was late to the discussion as I have heard it on the news for the last few days

Thank you. Hopefully someone will lose their job over this!

They've always been a bit slow but the last year has been dreadful. I had to get an alternative Emerade pen and it's no where near as well designed or durable. Luckily it's now the school set so it's not going to be bashed around in a bag.

Emerade are better. Longer needle and 3 doses available

I don't think it's a one person problem, they experienced difficulties in production which happens at times, machines can fail. But there is a huge demand for them so the delay has a knock on affect. It's a worldwide problem, not just here. The added pressure of the fact kids take two into school at the beginning of the school year has pushed the problem to the state it's in now.

The manufacturer has said that certain ones can use used last expiry, so if it affects you personally then it may be worth checking that out rather than be without it for now. I suspect it will take a few months for this to resolve.

Seems to happen every few years with some sort of prefilled drug syringe.

Does it really?? I had no idea

My son has serious allergies and the consultant changed us to Emerade years ago as he is so concerned about the needle length and preferred a more tailored dose for his weight

drug production is quite rightly very tightly regulated, but sometimes a small change in manufacturing (eg a change in supplier, or improvement in process) can lead to delays as new quality sign-offs etc are required. (Am over-simplifying but it's a complex process with lots of quality steps) Combine this with lost or damaged supplies in transit or logistical delays such as import/export licences and you can often get supply issues. Not ideal but sometimes unavoidable and a combination of issues rather than just one feckwit who just hasn't made enough :-)
As a PP said, extended stability data has been approved in order for some dosages to be kept and used after their expiry dates.
Fingers crossed supply issues are resolved soon

quality testing of medicines (and their devices) is very thorough and ridgid. any that doesn't pass the purity and safety standards has to be discarded. -and rightly so!

some meds are easier to manufacture, but liquids can be tricky. there is more scope of cross contamination and impurities etc

The allergy dept which treats DS for nut allergy prescribes Epipens on even dates and Jext pens on odd dates of diagnosis, in an attempt to prevent supply issues.

I didn't know there was a difference with emerade needles.

The law changed recently so that schools/colleges/workplaces etc could buy epi pens to keep for emergencies. I have bought 5 kits with 2 pens in each to be kept in each department and for trips. This is aswell as making sure the anaphylactic students have their own on them and one named one in the medical room aswell.

So thats 10 pens I purchased that would normally be only on prescription - and thats happened in probably every high school in the country.

The manufactuers could not keep up with the demand when the law changed and schools leapt at the opportunity to have this belt and braces approach.

Yes that can't have helped in the short term. Thanks