The life-saving adrenaline auto-injectors, Epipen, are still unavailable for the public due to manufacturing issues. This is a serious issue that could affect one’s life.
Mylan, the manufacturer, had explained the delay was due to ‘interruptions in the production of Epipen’. However, they did continue to state that: “Pharmacies are allocated product on a prescription-only basis”. This effectively means that they could provide a supply if a copy of the prescription is provided to the supplier, whilst ensuring patient/personal details are not exposed, at a limit. This is acceptable to those pharmacies that have only a few patients on Epipen, however with a limited supply those pharmacies that require more may suffer as would their patients.
Epipen.co.uk have issued an extended expiry dates on some batches of Epipens. This may be useful for those patients that are concerned their unused Epipen is due to expire. The list is available on http://www.epipen.co.uk/
It is also good to note, although this is basic knowledge, when the expiry states for example June 2019 this means the product is stable to use until the end of that month.
Additional supplies of Jext and Emerade, other versions of the adrenaline auto-injectors available in various strengths, were supposed to be made available by end of September but the wait still goings on.
Other version of adrenaline could be administrated such as ‘drawing it’ out from vials, but this would require specific and relevant injection technique training and this would mostly require another person administrating it rather than the patient themselves. Therefore auto-injectables would be safer and easier.
Mylan have announced they are working hard to stabilise the supply in the fourth quarter of 2018.