Medicine Supply Notification: Temazepam 10mg and 20mg tablets

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply notification for Temazepam 10mg and 20mg tablets.

MSN/2022/078

Tier 2 – medium impact

Date of issue 15th September 2022

  • Temazepam 10mg and 20mg tablets are in limited supply until w/c 5th December 2022
  • Alternative benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepine hypnotics remain available and will be able to support increased demand.
  • Temazepam 10mg/5ml oral solution remains available but cannot support an uplift in demand.
  • Where the above options are not suitable, unlicensed supplies of temazepam 10mg tablets may be sourced, lead times vary.

The following specialist importers have confirmed they can source unlicensed Temazepam 10mg tablets (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 unlicensed Temazepam 10mg tablets cannot be issued. Where a prescriber wishes to prescribe an unlicensed import, an FP10 paper prescription should be issued as ‘ Temazepam 10mg tablets (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.