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Creon Shortage Forces UK Patients to Ration Doses and Skip Meals

A Europe-wide shortage of raw ingredients, coupled with limited manufacturing capacity, has left over 60,000 patients facing critical rationing

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Overview

  • A National Pharmacy Association survey found 96% of pharmacies reported difficulties supplying Creon and 89% struggled to source alternative PERT products
  • Patients are eating only one meal a day, travelling more than 30 miles and resorting to social media appeals to obtain the enzyme therapy they need
  • The government has extended Serious Shortage Protocols for Creon until November 2025, allowing pharmacists to dispense reduced quantities without new prescriptions
  • Department of Health officials attribute the scarcity to constrained raw ingredients and manufacturing capacity across Europe
  • Pharmacists and charities are calling on ministers to convene a dedicated taskforce and pursue direct imports to secure a stable Creon supply