National shortage of IVF meds

[LolaBumble]

Hi all,

I’m waiting to start IVF and but the last two times I have started my cycle and called up to schedule I have been told that there is a national shortage of IVF meds and to call again next cycle.

They have said to at I need to do the long cycle and wait for the meds to come back in, but have given me no indication of when this might be, except ‘hopefully soon’.

Anyone else in this boat? Or know more about the situation?

Thanks!

Hey! Just to say I'm in the same situation. I am not even able to schedule pre cycle bloods or baseline scan until the medication is back in.

It's a shortage of buserelin I have been told.

I am waiting to start short protocol but as I am at high risk of OHSS I need to trigger with buserelin.

I know buserelin is also used to down regulate so this could be why your long protocol is delayed.

I really hope we hear something else soon!

Hi lovely!

Not sure on your exact protocol, but I was meant to down regulate with buserelin (this was back in November!!) they couldn’t get their hands on this so I down regulated with Decapeptyl instead - which btw, was so much better! 1 injection in the bum by the midwife. And no more until stimming. And then I triggered with Ovitrelle (although I was a few follicles off the other trigger!)

I don’t know if it was different for us as we paid privately so had to pay for all our meds x

Thank you for your replies!

It’s just so frustrating isn’t it, after waiting so long to get to this point. That’s good to know which drug it is that is that is causing the issue. Sorry to hear you are in the same boat.

Thats so good that you were able to use alternatives, I’ll ask my clinic about it when I phone next cycle.

Xx

I agree it's very frustrating.

I also contacted a different clinic today to check that they corroborated the "national shortage" story and they claimed that they don't have a shortage at all.

Very frustrating as my NHS referral doesn't allow me to go to that clinic so need to wait for my one to get their act together!!

I work in a clinic and buserilin and ultrogestan are out of stock, Stork who supply a lot of clinics have no further stock, some menopur is affected too

Very interesting. This is what my clinic is saying but I rang another clinic yesterday and they said they have stock so some suppliers must have some!

Do you know what the expected date for more stock is?

I'm wondering whether to ask my clinic if I can start and source the buserelin myself as Fertility2u seem to have it in stock!

They haven't given an expected date but if I hear anything I will let you know, there will still be some stock in a few places but wholesale orders have been halted now too so clinics can't purchase it to stock in clinic

@Lauren83 thank you this is really helpful, hopefully it will be sorted soon

I did just get an email update confirming still no news

Buserelin – still not available – no further news even though we were advised we would hear

Utrogestan – not available – looking at March as a potential.

Menopur 1200 and 600, almost all stocks in Stork have gone… they will be able to supply for the next couple of weeks and then we will need to start prescribing Meriofert instead.

Calcichew – for those of you that still prescribe Calcichew, this will now be Calcium Carbonate, as there has been a supply issue with that too.

@Lauren83 thanks that's really helpful but not reassuring that buserelin will be back any time soon!

I'm thinking of ringing the clinic and asking if I can have a prescription and get it myself just for the buserelin as I only need one vial for a trigger! Is this something clínica generally ever allow? A few pharmacies seem to have in stock

Yes they should do an external pharmacy script on request but may apply a fee to do so, I have spoken to a lot of patients who have struggled externally to source it though so I would check before you request the script incase you can't get it filled

Thanks for the information! Handy to have some inside knowledge :) x

Hi, hope it’s okay that I join!
I have had the same issues with Buserelin, have called my clinic but they’ve said it’s a nationwide shortage and I won’t be able to source it elsewhere. The wait is so disheartening and making me wonder how long this shortage will last as it looks as though there was a shortage last year too. Hope things work out for you all.
Would love to hear any updates if anyone does get any information on when it might restock.
Good luck x

No news yet I checked, the clinic I work for is a group of clinics supplied by Stork, Stork can't get it due to a supply issue and they supply loads of clinics, had a few updates on other meds but still no news on buserelin, we usually get advanced notice of it coming back into stock so will post if I hear, I know how devastating it is to be delayed with your treatment, been there myself with cancelled cycles and Christmas closures years ago!

Thanks so much for checking and keeping us updated! This process is so long and only feels as though it's going to get longer with all the med shortages going on. Fingers crossed things will start to happen soon and we will all be back on track!

The last update was 24/2 and it was noted some patients may be suitable to be prescribed prostap as an alternative (if suitable) Meriofert was replacing Menopur and Cyclogest replacing Ultrogestan, this is just for info purposes of course and may not be suitable alternatives for everyone and your own clinics may have different views

@Lauren83 thanks for all the helpful updates. I don’t think there is an alternative for buserelin when it’s just needed for the trigger unfortunately so I’ll have to wait it out.

Surely clinics must be starting to think of back up plans and can’t keep us waiting for months on end?!

Thank you for keeping us updated! Hopefully we hear something soon 🙈🙏🏻

Buserelin is back in stock

Hello, I've been following this with interest. We had a consultation today for our first round of ICSI and we were told it is in stock now.

Brilliant thank you for updating us 🙌🙏🏻🙌

Good luck with your cycles everyone!

Hi All,

We are about to start our 5th round. First time meds haven’t been in stock. Still no Menopur apparently they have not idea at all when it could be back in. I’ve called Stork and fertility2u Our clinic.