Medicine Supply Notification: Sulfasalazine 250mg in 5ml oral suspension sugar free

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply notification for Sulfasalazine 250mg in 5ml oral suspension sugar free.

MSN/2022/110

Tier 2 – medium impact

Date of issue 21st December 2022

  • Sulfasalazine 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free is out of stock from w/c 19th December until early June 2023.
  • Sulfasalazine 500mg non-enteric coated tablets remain available
  • A number of Specials manufacturers are able to produce an unlicensed sulfasalazine 250mg/5ml oral suspension.

The following Specials manufacturers have currently confirmed they can manufacturer sulfasalazine 250mg/5ml oral suspension (please note, there may be other companies that can also manufacture):

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 sulfasalazine 250mg/5ml oral suspension cannot be issued. Where a prescriber wishes to prescribe a specially manufactured product, an FP10 paper prescription should be issued as ‘ sulfasalazine 250mg/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;
  • 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.