To ask the Minister of Health to detail any solutions being introduced for patients with epilepsy that are having difficulty accessing anti-seizure medications such as Zonisamide, particularly Zonegran, Phenytoin, Lamotrigine and Carbamazepine.

Medicines are manufactured as part of a highly regulated, complex and global industry; therefore, medicine supply disruptions can occur for a variety of reasons and are not uncommon. My Department is aware that there have been some UK-wide supply disruptions affecting various strengths and preparations of epilepsy medications in recent times, including carbamazepine, phenytoin and lamotrigine products, although most of these disruptions appear to have now been resolved.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) leads on the maintenance of medicine supply chains to the UK and works closely with the devolved administrations, including my Department and other operators within the supply chain to put in place tried and tested tools and processes should any disruptions arise. These existing tools and processes include communication to healthcare professionals such as National Patient Safety Alerts, Medicines Supply Notifications, NHS Specialist Pharmacy Services (SPS) resources including SPS medicines supply tool, and other mitigations such as Serious Shortage Protocols, additions to the export and hoarding ban list, additions to the NIMAR list, and the importation of medicines from other markets.

Several of these tools and processes have been implemented to mitigate the impact of anti-epileptic medicine shortages when supply disruptions have occurred.

It is important to note that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued updated advice following a review by the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM), that categorised anti-epileptic medicines into one of three risk-based categories, which healthcare professionals can use to decide whether it is necessary to maintain continuity of supply of a particular manufacturer’s product. Prescribing recommendations for Health and Social Care (HSC) healthcare professionals, outlined in the Northern Ireland Formulary, incorporate this MHRA guidance, and my Department’s policy that medicines should be prescribed generically in all appropriate circumstances as set out in the Northern Ireland Formulary.

Therefore, it can also be the case that patients can sometimes misconstrue not obtaining their preferred brand such as Zonegran® (zonisamide) as a supply disruption when their medication is prescribed generically. In such cases, it would be more appropriate for patients to discuss their treatment options and concerns with their clinicians.