Pharmacist says NHS drugs shortage is the 'worst' he's known as supply issues hit dozens of common medications11:13, 30 May 2026A pharmacist has warned that the current drugs shortage is the 'worst I've ever known' as supply problems affect dozens of everyday medicines. Some drugs used to treat conditions ranging from high blood pressure to diabetes are running low, with certain patients reportedly struggling to obtain their regular prescriptions.‌Graham Jones, owner of Shrivenham Pharmacy in Oxfordshire, has cautioned that even staple medications such as aspirin are becoming increasingly difficult to source. Other commonly affected medicines include certain apixaban, ramipril, metformin and pregabalin tablets.‌He said: "A lot of very commonly used medications have gone into short supply in a very short period of time." The pharmacist attributed the crisis to soaring global prices and government funding failing to keep pace with rising costs, according to the BBC.‌A government spokesperson said it had "established processes to respond to sudden market price increases", adding it would "help ensure pharmacies can continue to obtain medicines for patients".Patient Gillian-Ann Wordsworth, 84, discovered that her usual supply of apixaban, which she takes to prevent and treat blood clots related to her heart condition, had run out of stock, leaving her without any medication to take. She has since been prescribed an alternative drug, reports Chronicle Live.‌She told the BBC: "They can't get the Apixaban, so I was without medication all day Saturday. It's all a bit worrying because after all, it is the heart at the end of the day." The NHS pays pharmacies a fixed rate for the medicines they dispense, which they must then purchase for that amount or less. When the actual cost exceeds that fixed NHS rate, the medication is added to a government "price concessions list".In April, this reached a record high of 210 named drugs. So far this month, as of May 20, 2026, it stands at 188 named medications.Pharmacies will typically be reimbursed at the revised rate for listed medications, however the increased cost can still pose difficulties when prices rise sharply. Mr Jones said this occurs regularly, citing the example of apixaban, for which they are currently being paid around £3 while having to pay £6 to purchase it.‌He explained this made it increasingly difficult for pharmacies to source adequate stock, which in turn meant some patients could be left facing a shortage of their medication.A spokesperson at the Department of Health and Social Care told the BBC: "The vast majority of licensed medicines are in good supply and we are working hard to keep it that way. We have established processes to respond to sudden market price increases of medicines.‌"This includes adjusting reimbursement prices based on current market conditions, which helps ensure that pharmacies can continue to obtain medicines for their patients."Community Pharmacy England stated: "When community pharmacies cannot source a drug at or below the reimbursement price as set out in the Drug Tariff, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) can introduce a price concession at the request of Community Pharmacy England."It went on to say: "For any drugs granted price concessions, contractors are automatically reimbursed at the new prices for that month. It set out the full list of 188 medications currently on the list. These are:Article continues belowAlfuzosin 2.5mg tablets - pack size 60Acarbose 50mg tablets - pack size 90Apixaban 2.5mg tablets - pack size 60Apixaban 5mg tablets - pack size 56Aripiprazole 10mg tablets - pack size 28Aripiprazole 30mg tablets - pack size 28Aspirin 75mg dispersible tablets - pack size 28Aspirin 75mg dispersible tablets - pack size 100Aspirin 75mg gastro-resistant tablets - pack size 28Aspirin 75mg tablets - pack size 28Atomoxetine 10mg capsules - pack size 28Atomoxetine 25mg capsules - pack size 28Atomoxetine 40mg capsules - pack size 28Atomoxetine 60mg capsules - pack size 28Atomoxetine 80mg capsules - pack size 28Benzydamine 0.15% mouthwash sugar free - pack size 300Benzydamine 0.15% oromucosal spray sugar free - pack size 30Bimatoprost 300micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops 0.4ml unit dose preservative free - pack size 30Bisoprolol 1.25mg tablets - pack size 28Candesartan 2mg tablets - pack size 7Candesartan 32mg tablets - pack size 28Candesartan 4mg tablets - pack size 7Captopril 12.5mg tablets - pack size 56Captopril 25mg tablets - pack size 56Captopril 50mg tablets - pack size 56Carbocisteine 375mg capsules - pack size 120Carvedilol 12.5mg tablets - pack size 28Carvedilol 25mg tablets - pack size 28Carvedilol 3.125mg tablets - pack size 28Carvedilol 6.25mg tablets - pack size 28Cefalexin 125mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free - pack size 100Cefalexin 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free - pack size 100Chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops - - pack size 10Chloramphenicol 1% eye ointment - pack size 4Chlordiazepoxide 10mg capsules - pack size 100Chlordiazepoxide 5mg capsules - pack size 100Chlorpromazine 25mg tablets - pack size 28Clarithromycin 125mg/5ml oral suspension - pack size 70Clarithromycin 250mg/5ml oral suspension - pack size 70Clobazam 10mg tablets - pack size 30Clomipramine 25mg capsules - pack size 28Clotrimazole 500mg pessaries - pack size 1Co-amilofruse 5mg/40mg tablets - pack size 28Co-amilozide 5mg/50mg tablets - pack size 28Co-careldopa 12.5mg/50mg tablets - pack size 90Co-codamol 15mg/500mg tablets - pack size 100Co-codamol 30mg/500mg capsules - pack size 100Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets - pack size 30Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets - pack size 100Co-codamol 8mg/500mg capsules - pack size 100Co-codamol 8mg/500mg capsules - pack size 32Co-codamol 8mg/500mg effervescent tablets - pack size 32Co-codamol 8mg/500mg effervescent tablets - pack size 100Codeine 15mg tablets - pack size 28Codeine 15mg tablets- pack size 100Co-trimoxazole 80mg/400mg tablets - pack size 28Diclofenac sodium 50mg gastro-resistant tablets - pack size 28Digoxin 62.5microgram tablets - pack size 28Dipyridamole 200mg modified-release capsules - pack size 60Domperidone 1mg/ml oral suspension sugar free - pack size 200Doxazosin 2mg tablets - pack size 28Doxazosin 4mg tablets - pack size 28Duloxetine 60mg gastro-resistant capsules - pack size 28Enalapril 2.5mg tablets - pack size 28Erythromycin 250mg gastro-resistant tablets - pack size 28Esomeprazole 20mg gastro-resistant tablets - pack size 28Esomeprazole 40mg gastro-resistant tablets - pack size 28Estradiol 10microgram pessaries - pack size 24Ferrous fumarate 210mg tablets - pack size 84Fesoterodine 4mg modified-release tablets - pack size 28Flecainide 100mg tablets - pack size 60Flecainide 50mg tablets - pack size 60Fluoxetine 10mg capsules - pack size 30Fluoxetine 20mg capsules -- pack size 30Fluoxetine 20mg/5ml oral solution sugar free - pack size 70Gabapentin 50mg/ml oral solution sugar free - pack size 150Hydrocortisone 5mg tablets - pack size 30Hydroxychloroquine 200mg tablets - pack size 60Ibandronic acid 150mg tablets - pack size 1Ibandronic acid 50mg tablets - pack size 28Indometacin 25mg capsules - pack size 28Indometacin 50mg capsules - pack size 28Irbesartan 150mg tablets - pack size 28Irbesartan 75mg tablets - pack size 28Ivabradine 2.5mg tablets - pack size 56Labetalol 100mg tablets - pack size 56Labetalol 200mg tablets - pack size 56Lacidipine 4mg tablets - pack size 28Lacosamide 200mg tablets - pack size 56Lamotrigine 100mg tablets - pack size 56Lamotrigine 200mg tablets - pack size 56Lamotrigine 25mg tablets - pack size 56Lamotrigine 50mg tablets - - pack size 56Lansoprazole 15mg orodispersible tablets - pack size 28Lansoprazole 30mg orodispersible tablets - pack size 28Leflunomide 10mg tablets - pack size 30Leflunomide 20mg tablets - pack size 30Lercanidipine 10mg tablets - pack size 28Lercanidipine 20mg tablets - pack size 28Letrozole 2.5mg tablets - pack size 28Levetiracetam 100mg/ml oral solution sugar free - pack size 300Levothyroxine sodium 12.5microgram tablets - pack size 28Lofepramine 70mg tablets - pack size 56Loratadine 5mg/5ml oral solution - pack size 100Lymecycline 408mg capsules - pack size 28Lymecycline 408mg capsules - pack size 56Mebeverine 135mg tablets - pack size 100Mefenamic acid 500mg tablets - pack size 28Melatonin 2mg modified-release tablets - pack size 30Metformin 1g modified-release tablets - pack size 56Methenamine hippurate 1g tablets - pack size 60Midazolam 10mg/2ml solution for injection ampoules - pack size 10Mometasone 0.1% cream - pack size 30Mometasone 0.1% cream - pack size 100Morphine sulfate 10mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules - pack size 10Naftidrofuryl 100mg capsules - pack size 84Nicotine 4mg medicated chewing gum sugar free - pack size 96Nifedipine 10mg capsules - pack size 90Nifedipine 5mg capsules - pack size 90Nizatidine 150mg capsules - pack size 30Oxazepam 10mg tablets - pack size 28Oxazepam 15mg tablets - pack size 28Oxybutynin 10mg modified-release tablets - pack size 28Oxybutynin 2.5mg tablets - pack size 56Oxybutynin 5mg modified-release tablets - pack size 28Oxybutynin 5mg tablets - pack size 56Oxycodone 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free - pack size 250Oxytetracycline 250mg tablets - pack size 28Perindopril erbumine 2mg tablets - pack size 30Perindopril erbumine 4mg tablets - pack size 30Perindopril erbumine 8mg tablets - pack size 30Phenobarbital 30mg tablets - pack size 28Pregabalin 100mg capsules - pack size 84Pregabalin 150mg capsules - pack size 56Pregabalin 200mg capsules - pack size 84Pregabalin 225mg capsules - pack size 56Pregabalin 25mg capsules - pack size 56Pregabalin 300mg capsules - pack size 56Pregabalin 50mg capsules - pack size 84Pregabalin 75mg capsules - pack size 56Prochlorperazine 3mg buccal tablets - pack size 50Promethazine hydrochloride 25mg tablets - pack size 56Propranolol 80mg modified-release capsules - pack size 28Propranolol 80mg tablets - pack size 56Prucalopride 1mg tablets - pack size 28Prucalopride 2mg tablets- pack size 28Pyridostigmine bromide 60mg tablets - pack size 200Quinine sulfate 300mg tablets - pack size 28Rabeprazole 10mg gastro-resistant tablets - pack size 28Rabeprazole 20mg gastro-resistant tablets - pack size 28Ramipril 1.25mg capsules - pack size 28Ramipril 1.25mg tablets - pack size 28Ramipril 10mg capsules - pack size 28Ramipril 2.5mg capsules - pack size 28Ramipril 5mg capsules - pack size 28Ranolazine 375mg modified-release tablets - pack size 60Ranolazine 500mg modified-release tablets - pack size 60Ranolazine 750mg modified-release tablets - pack size 60Rivaroxaban 20mg tablets - pack size 28Ropinirole 2mg tablets- pack size 28Rosuvastatin 10mg tablets - pack size 28Rosuvastatin 20mg tablets - pack size 28Rosuvastatin 40mg tablets - pack size 28Rosuvastatin 5mg tablets - pack size 28Sertraline 100mg tablets - pack size 28Sertraline 50mg tablets - pack size 28Sitagliptin 100mg tablets- pack size 28Sodium bicarbonate 500mg capsules - pack size 56Sotalol 40mg tablets - pack size 28Sotalol 80mg tablets - pack size 28Spironolactone 25mg tablets - pack size 28Sumatriptan 100mg tablets - pack size 6Sumatriptan 50mg tablets - pack size 6Tadalafil 5mg tablets - pack size 28Tibolone 2.5mg tablets - pack size 28Timolol 0.5% eye drops - - pack size 5Tolterodine 1mg tablets - pack size 56Tolterodine 2mg tablets - pack size 56Topiramate 100mg tablets - pack size 60Tramadol 50mg capsules - pack size 30Tramadol 50mg capsules - pack size 100Travoprost 40micrograms/ml eye drops - - pack size 2.5Trihexyphenidyl 2mg tablets - pack size 84Trimethoprim 50mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free - pack size 100Valsartan 80mg capsules - pack size 28Venlafaxine 37.5mg tablets- pack size 56Venlafaxine 75mg tablets - pack size 56Warfarin 1mg tablets - pack size 28It added: "To date, this takes the total number of price concessions granted by DHSC for May 2026 to 188."