Supply Disruption Alert: Dexamethasone 0.1% (Maxidex) 5ml eye drops

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply disruption alert for Dexamethasone 0.1% (Maxidex) 5ml eye drops

Alert reference: SDA/2021/007

• There are limited supplies of preserved dexamethasone (Maxidex®) 0.1% eye drops in a multi-dose container until early August 2021 due to a manufacturing issue. During this period stock will only be available to order directly from Novartis and subject to order limits.
• Dexamethasone 0.1% preservative free and alternative steroid eye drops remain available in single dose and multi-dose containers and collectively can support an uplift in demand.
• For patients with insufficient supplies until the resupply date, clinicians should consider prescribing an alternative preparation as appropriate.
• Patients who are on long term treatment should be fully counselled if switched to alternative preparations, particularly preservative free single dose preparations, due to the need to dispose of the unit dose after use

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.