Medicine Supply Notification: Sando-K ® (potassium chloride 600mg and potassium bicarbonate 400mg [total potassium 12mmol] effervescent tablets
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply notification for Sando-K ® (potassium chloride 600mg and potassium bicarbonate 400mg [total potassium 12mmol] effervescent tablets.
MSN/2023/120
Tier 2 – medium impact
Date of issue 22nd December 2023
- Sando-K ® effervescent tablets are in limited supply until late February 2024.
- Potassium chloride 600mg (total potassium 8mmol) modified release tablets remain available and can support an increase demand.
- Kay-Cee-L ® syrup (potassium chloride 75mg/ml) remains available but cannot support an increase in demand.
- Supply of intravenous ready-to-administer potassium chloride infusions remain available.
- Unlicensed supply of potassium chloride 75mg/ml (total potassium: 1mmol/ml) oral solution is available from Specials manufacturers.
- Unlicensed import of Chlorvescent® effervescent tablets (14mmol potassium per tablet) may be sourced, lead times vary.
Unlicensed products
The following specialist importer have confirmed they can source unlicensed Chlorvescent® tablets (contains potassium chloride 595mg, potassium carbonate 152mg and potassium bicarbonate 384mg; total potassium 14mmol per tablet) (please note there may be other companies that can also source supplies):
The following Specials manufacturer have confirmed they can supply unlicensed potassium chloride 75mg/ml (total potassium: 1mmol/ml) oral solution (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 ‘Potassium …..(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.
