Medicine Supply Notification: Megestrol (Megace®) 160mg tablets
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply notification for Megestrol (Megace®) 160mg tablets
MSN/2025/016
Tier 2 – medium impact
Date of issue: 25/03/2025
- Megestrol (Megace®) 160mg tablets are out of stock until mid-April 2025.
- Medroxyprogesterone (Provera®) 200mg and 400mg tablets remain available and can support an increase in demand.
- Medroxyprogesterone (Provera®) 100mg tablets remain available but cannot support a full increase in demand.
- Please note that Provera® tablets will be available generically as medroxyprogesterone tablets in April 2025.
- Unlicensed supplies of megestrol tablets may be sourced, lead times vary.
Unlicensed products
The following specialist importers have confirmed they can source unlicensed megestrol 160mg tablets (please note there may be other companies that can also source supplies):
- Clinigen – can source a brand called Megefren®
- Mawdsleys – can source a brand called Borea®
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 ‘Megestrol 160mg tablets (Special Order)’ and endorsed by the pharmacy as a non-Part VIII 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
Further guidance on how prescriptions for unlicensed specials should be written can be found here.
A copy of this medicine supply notification, including supporting information, has been sent to all pharmacy NHS email addresses.
DHSC and NHS England have 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.
