Medicine Supply Notification: Bumetanide 1mg and 5mg tablets
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply notification for Bumetanide 1mg and 5mg tablets.
MSN/2023/094
Tier 3 – high impact
Date of issue 12th October 2023
- Bumetanide 5mg tablets are out of stock until early March 2024.
- Bumetanide 1mg tablets remain available until the end of October and will be out of stock until January 2024.
- Bumetanide 1mg/5ml SF oral solution remains available but is unable to support increased demand.
- Furosemide 20mg and 40mg tablets remain available and can support increased demand.
- Where these are not suitable, unlicensed supplies of bumetanide 1mg and 5mg tablets may be sourced, lead times vary.
Unlicensed products
The following specialist importers have confirmed they can source unlicensed Bumetanide 1mg and 5mg tablets (please note there may be other companies that can also source supplies):
If there is currently no listing on dm+d for the imported product for prescribers to select using their prescribing systems an EPS prescription for the unlicensed product cannot be issued. Where a prescriber wishes to prescribe a specially manufactured or imported product, an FP10 paper prescription should be issued as ‘Bumetanide 1mg or 5mg tablets (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;
- SP
A copy of this medicine supply notification, including further information, has been sent to all pharmacy NHS email addresses.
DHSC and NHSE/I have now launched an online Medicines Supply Tool, which provides up to date information about medicine supply issues. The contents of these MSNs can now be viewed on the Tool.
The Tool also details any changes to resupply dates and updates to the entries.
To access the Tool 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.
