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