Medicine Supply Notification: Acebutolol (Sectral) 100mg capsules
MSN/2021/052
Tier 2 – medium impact
Date of issue: 01/11/2021
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply notification for Acebutolol (Sectral®) 100mg capsules.
- Neon Healthcare are discontinuing acebutolol (Sectral®) 100mg capsules with stock expected to be exhausted by the end of November 2021.
- Acebutolol 200mg capsules and 400mg tablets remain available and can support an increase in demand.
- Unlicensed imports of acebutolol 100mg capsules can be sourced. Lead times may vary.
The following specialist importers have confirmed they can source unlicensed acebutolol 100mg capsules (please note there may be other companies that can also source supplies):
• Mawdsley’s Unlicensed
• Target Healthcare
There is currently no listing on dm+d for the imported product for prescribers to select using their prescribing systems so an EPS prescription for unlicensed Acebutolol 100mg capsules cannot be issued. Where a prescriber wishes to prescribe an unlicensed import, an FP10 paper prescription should be issued as ‘Acebutolol 100mg capsules (Special Order)‘ and endorsed by the pharmacy as a non-Part VIIIB special with the following information:
- Amount dispensed over pack size used;
- Invoice price per pack size from which the order was supplied less any discount or rebate;
- Manufacturers’/importers’ MHRA licence number;
- Batch number of the product supplied;
- Initials ‘SP’
The DHSC Medicine Supply Team provide a monthly update on potential supply issues affecting both primary and secondary care. This update is uploaded on the Specialist Pharmacy Services (SPS) website. To register, you will need an NHS email address. Once set up and logged in, you will be able to access it online.
New shortages not listed on the SPS website, can be reported using our shortage reporting tool.
