Medicine Supply Notification: Lipitor® (Atorvastatin) 20mg chewable tablets
MSN/2021/055
Tier 2 – medium impact
Date of issue: 18/11/2021
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply notification for Atorvastatin (Lipitor®) 20mg chewable tablets
- Lipitor® 20mg chewable tablets are out of stock until late December 2021.
- Lipitor® 10mg chewable tablets remain available but cannot support a full uplift in demand.
- Atorvastatin 20mg film-coated tablets also remain available and can support an increased demand.
- A Serious Shortage Protocol (SSP) was issued on 18/11/2021.
- Supplies of atorvastatin 20mg/5ml oral suspension Specials can also be sourced. Lead times vary.
Unlicensed specials
The following Specials companies have confirmed they can manufacture atorvastatin 20mg/5ml oral
suspension (please note there may be other companies that can also manufacture supplies):
- BCM Specials
- Eaststone Specials
- Lexon
- Nova Laboratories
- Quantum Pharmaceuticals
- Rokshaw
- Target Healthcare
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 unlicensed atorvastatin 20mg/5ml oral suspension cannot be issued. Where a prescriber wishes to prescribe an unlicensed import, an FP10 paper prescription should be issued as ‘ atorvastatin 20mg/5ml oral suspension (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.
