After HRT, now the NHS faces a shortage of painkillers

THE NHS is facing shortages of blood pressure pills, painkillers and antidepressants as drug producers are hit by supply problems, an industry body has warned.

Companies providing widely used medications face ‘unprecedented pressure’ with supply chains and red tape, it is claimed.

Manufacturers of dozens of the UK’s most commonly used drugs are struggling with a ‘perfect storm’ of rising costs of raw materials and delays of up to 18 months to secure approvals from the medicines regulator.

Some anti-depressants, blood pressure tablets, steroids and pills used to relieve arthritis pain could be affected, according to the i newspaper.

British Generic Manufacturers Association chief executive Mark Samuels said there was a ‘real risk’ the NHS and pharmacies will face further shortages in the coming months – similar to the current HRT crisis.

‘Generic medicines have been taken for granted,’ Mr Samuels said.

‘It is a complex industry and it is under unprecedented pressure and that does bring a real risk of shortages at the moment.’

The UK regulator – the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency – said it regularly accelerates approval processes where a product could be the subject of a shortage.