Supply Notification: H2-antagonists (Cimetidine, Famotidine and Nizatidine) – Update

Update (18/03/2021): resupply dates now expected:

The following specialist importers have confirmed they can source unlicensed cimetidine tablets (please note, there may be other companies that can also source supplies):

• Alium Medical (200mg, 400mg and 800mg)
• Mawdsley’s Unlicensed (200mg, 400mg and 800mg)
• Durbin PLC (200mg, 400mg, 800mg)
• Ennogen (200mg, 400mg)
• Target Healthcare (200mg, 400mg, 800mg)
• Smartway Pharma 
• Waymade PLC

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 Cimetidine (strength) tablets cannot be issued. Where a prescriber wishes to prescribe an unlicensed import, an FP10 paper prescription should be issued as ‘Cimetidine (strength) 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

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply notification for H2-antagonists (Cimetidine, Famotidine and Nizatidine)

Suppliers of Cimetidine, Famotidine and Nizatidine have reported an increase in demand, which has contributed to short term shortages of Cimetidine 200mg tablets, Famotidine 20mg tablets, and Nizatidine 150mg and 300mg tablets.

• Famotidine 20mg tablets are out of stock until the end of December 2019.
• Cimetidine 200mg tablets are out of stock until the end of January 2020.
• Nizatidine 150mg and 300mg tablets are out of stock until February 2020.

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.