A critical shortage of venlafaxine, a widely prescribed antidepressant, has been declared in the United Kingdom, with health chiefs warning that the 75mg immediate-release tablets will be unavailable until November. This medication is commonly used to treat depression, anxiety, and symptoms of menopause.
The drug is prescribed more than eight million times annually across Britain, with approximately 6.5 million of those prescriptions dispensed in England, according to NHS prescribing data. Officials from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) have advised healthcare providers not to issue new prescriptions for the 75mg immediate-release venlafaxine tablets during this shortage. This specific dosage form works quickly and is typically taken twice daily.
While some modified-release versions of venlafaxine, including 37.5mg, 75mg, and 150mg capsules, as well as 75mg tablets, may still be available to meet demand, other forms cannot be substituted. These include immediate-release 37.5mg tablets and various modified-release tablets and capsules, as well as liquid formulations.
Venlafaxine belongs to a class of antidepressants known as serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). These medications are believed to function by increasing the levels of serotonin and noradrenaline in the brain, chemicals that play a role in mood regulation. SNRIs are sometimes prescribed when selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been ineffective or have caused adverse side effects.
The DHSC's alert comes amid a challenging period for medicine availability in the UK. Pharmacists have described the ongoing medicine shortages as a 'national crisis,' with patients facing difficulties in obtaining essential medications. Experts have previously cautioned that the fragility of the medicine supply chain poses serious risks to patient safety, potentially affecting individuals with conditions such as stroke, heart attack, and seizures.