Medicine Supply Notification: Co-trimoxazole 40mg/200mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply notification for Co-trimoxazole 40mg/200mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free

MSN/2024/068

Tier 2 – medium impact

Date of issue: 5th June 2024

  • Co-trimoxazole 40mg/200mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free is out of stock until early September 2024.
  • Co-trimoxazole 80mg/400mg/5ml oral suspension remains available and can support increased demand
  • Unlicensed imports of co-trimoxazole 40mg/200mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free can be sourced, lead times vary.

Unlicensed products

The following specialist importers have confirmed they can source unlicensed co-trimoxazole 40mg/200mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free (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 ‘ Co-trimoxazole 40mg/200mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free (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.