Supply Disruption Alert: Glipizide (Minodiab® ) 5mg tablets – Updated

Update (13.09.21): Resupply date now expected to be w/c 1st November 2021

 


Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply disruption alert for Glipizide (Minodiab®) 5mg tablets

Alert reference: SDA/2021/009

Pfizer are out of stock of glipizide (Minodiab®) 5mg tablets until mid-October 2021 due to increased demand
following the withdrawal of another glipizide 5mg tablet from the UK market.

  • Glipizide 5mg tablets are out of stock until mid-October 2021..
  • Prescribers will need to review all affected patients and assess ongoing need for glipizide
  •  If ongoing treatment is required, consideration should be given to prescribing an alternative sulfonylurea or glucose lowering medication
  •  Alternative glucose-lowering medications, including sulfonylureas, remain available.
  • Patients with monogenic diabetes* (MODY) should remain on an equivalent dose of an alternative sulfonylurea.
  • Unlicensed supplies of glipizide 5mg tablets have been sourced and may be considered where the
    above options are inappropriate.

The following specialist importers have confirmed they can source unlicensed glipizide 5mg 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 Glipizide 5mg tablets cannot be issued. Where a prescriber wishes to prescribe an unlicensed import, an FP10 paper prescription should be issued as ‘Glipizide 5mg 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

For further information and for advice on the management of affected patients please view the alert here.

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.