Pharmacists have warned that the situation is becoming increasingly difficult to manage in practice (Image: Getty)
Drug price concessions have hit a new record high this month, Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has confirmed. It has announced that 219 drug price concessions have been granted by the Department of Health and Social Care for May so far. The latest figures follow two consecutive months of record-breaking levels after more than 200 medicines were listed in both March and April.
The trend has prompted concern among sector representatives who warn that ongoing instability in sourcing and pricing is placing increasing strain on both pharmacy services and patients. They say the situation has been worsened by wider global disruption including the ongoing conflict in the Middle East which is affecting supply routes and manufacturing costs.
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Industry leaders say the situation is making it harder to maintain reliable stock levels (Image: Getty)
The Government’s Price Concessions List is a mechanism used by the DHSC to temporarily adjust reimbursement prices when medicines cannot be obtained by community pharmacies at or below the standard NHS Drug Tariff rate.
James Davies, Director of Research and Insights at Community Pharmacy England, said that community pharmacy teams are spending hours every day trying to source medicines for patients.
He added: “It is also having a financial impact and the underfunding of community pharmacies continues to lead to pharmacy closures, with an average of one pharmacy closing each week in England.”
Some people living with heart conditions, stroke risks, eye infections and bipolar disorder are among those unable to get the medications they rely on, a pharmacist also told the BBC.
Graham Jones, who owns Shrivenham Pharmacy in Oxfordshire, said essential medicines such as aspirin were becoming harder to obtain due to rising global prices and NHS funding that, he said, was not keeping pace with costs. He described the situation as the “worst I’ve ever known.”
Gillian-Ann Wordsworth, 84, has a heart condition and is prescribed Apixaban to prevent and treat blood clots. In recent weeks, she told the BBC she was unable to obtain her usual medication after it went out of stock, leaving her temporarily switched to an alternative treatment.
She said the disruption was worrying, particularly given the importance of maintaining consistent access to her prescribed medicine for managing her condition.
A spokesperson at the Department of Health and Social Care told the news outlet: “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.”
The full list of affected medicines in May 2026 includes a wide range of commonly prescribed treatments, including cardiovascular drugs such as ramipril, candesartan and bisoprolol, anticoagulants such as apixaban, antibiotics including cefalexin and clarithromycin, neurological medicines such as lamotrigine, pregabalin and gabapentin, antidepressants including fluoxetine and venlafaxine, and many others spanning pain relief, diabetes, gastrointestinal conditions and hormonal therapies.
Full list
Acarbose 50mg tablets 90 £21.87
Alfentanil 1mg/2ml solution for injection ampoules 10 £8.11
Alfuzosin 2.5mg tablets 60 £7.64
Apixaban 2.5mg tablets 60 £3.10
Apixaban 5mg tablets 56 £4.80
Aripiprazole 10mg tablets 28 £2.60
Aripiprazole 30mg tablets 28 £1.79
Ascorbic acid 200mg tablets 28 £65.23
Ascorbic acid 500mg tablets 28 £36.46
Aspirin 75mg dispersible tablets 28 £2.83
Aspirin 75mg dispersible tablets 100 £10.10
Aspirin 75mg gastro-resistant tablets 28 £2.15
Aspirin 75mg tablets 28 £1.63
Atomoxetine 10mg capsules 28 £7.63
Atomoxetine 25mg capsules 28 £6.97
Atomoxetine 40mg capsules 28 £8.27
Atomoxetine 60mg capsules 28 £8.00
Atomoxetine 80mg capsules 28 £9.44
Azathioprine 50mg tablets 56 £1.51
Benzydamine 0.15% mouthwash sugar free 300 £3.15
Benzydamine 0.15% oromucosal spray sugar free 30 £1.60
Betahistine 16mg tablets 84 £1.57
Bimatoprost 300micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops 0.4ml unit dose preservative free 30 £9.25
Bisoprolol 1.25mg tablets 28 £4.79
Bisoprolol 2.5mg tablets 28 £2.00
Candesartan 2mg tablets 7 £0.83
Candesartan 32mg tablets 28 £1.57
Candesartan 4mg tablets 7 £0.75
Candesartan 8mg tablets 28 £1.13
Captopril 12.5mg tablets 56 £24.97
Captopril 25mg tablets 56 £37.79
Captopril 50mg tablets 56 £38.01
Carbocisteine 375mg capsules 120 £3.11
Carvedilol 12.5mg tablets 28 £3.99
Carvedilol 25mg tablets 28 £4.28
Carvedilol 3.125mg tablets 28 £1.91
Carvedilol 6.25mg tablets 28 £6.17
Cefalexin 125mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free 100 £5.05
Cefalexin 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free 100 £6.30
Chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops 10 £2.71
Chloramphenicol 1% eye ointment 4 £2.89
Chlordiazepoxide 10mg capsules 100 £42.19
Chlordiazepoxide 5mg capsules 100 £39.96
Chlorpromazine 25mg tablets 28 £19.28
Chlorpromazine 50mg tablets 28 £27.57
Clarithromycin 125mg/5ml oral suspension 70 £11.35
Clarithromycin 250mg/5ml oral suspension 70 £23.57
Clobazam 10mg tablets 30 £2.52
Clomipramine 25mg capsules 28 £4.59
Clomipramine 50mg capsules 28 £8.13
Clotrimazole 500mg pessaries 1 £6.99
Co-amilofruse 5mg/40mg tablets 28 £6.97
Co-amilozide 2.5mg/25mg tablets 28 £52.70
Co-amilozide 5mg/50mg tablets 28 £19.12
Co-careldopa 12.5mg/50mg tablets 90 £5.71
Co-codamol 15mg/500mg tablets 100 £3.29
Co-codamol 30mg/500mg capsules 100 £5.10
Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets 30 £2.01
Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets 100 £6.69
Co-codamol 8mg/500mg capsules 100 £26.30
Co-codamol 8mg/500mg capsules 32 £8.42
Co-codamol 8mg/500mg effervescent tablets 32 £2.87
Co-codamol 8mg/500mg effervescent tablets 100 £8.97
Codeine 15mg tablets 28 £0.91
Codeine 15mg tablets 100 £3.25
Co-trimoxazole 80mg/400mg tablets 28 £1.78
Dapagliflozin 10mg tablets 28 £5.00
Dexamethasone 0.1% eye drops 0.3ml unit dose preservative free 20 £6.18
Diclofenac sodium 50mg gastro-resistant tablets 28 £3.67
Digoxin 125microgram tablets 28 £2.53
Digoxin 250microgram tablets 28 £2.12
Digoxin 62.5microgram tablets 28 £2.35
Dipyridamole 200mg modified-release capsules 60 £39.99
Domperidone 1mg/ml oral suspension sugar free 200 £88.99
Doxazosin 2mg tablets 28 £0.82
Doxazosin 4mg tablets 28 £0.99
Duloxetine 60mg gastro-resistant capsules 28 £1.83
Eletriptan 40mg tablets 6 £22.50
Enalapril 2.5mg tablets 28 £5.08
Eplerenone 50mg tablets 28 £3.94
Erythromycin 250mg gastro-resistant tablets 28 £9.39
Esomeprazole 20mg gastro-resistant tablets 28 £2.45
Esomeprazole 40mg gastro-resistant tablets 28 £2.75
Estradiol 10microgram pessaries 24 £11.00
Ferrous fumarate 210mg tablets 84 £2.58
Fesoterodine 4mg modified-release tablets 28 £7.82
Fesoterodine 8mg modified-release tablets 28 £7.67
Flecainide 100mg tablets 60 £4.58
Flecainide 50mg tablets 60 £2.22
Fluoxetine 10mg capsules 30 £2.62
Fluoxetine 20mg capsules 30 £0.89
Fluoxetine 20mg/5ml oral solution 70 £5.57
Fluoxetine 20mg/5ml oral solution sugar free 70 £5.55
Folic acid 400microgram tablets 90 £9.00
Gabapentin 50mg/ml oral solution sugar free 150 £29.39
Hydrocortisone 5mg tablets 30 £18.69
Hydroxychloroquine 200mg tablets 60 £4.59
Hydroxyzine 10mg tablets 84 £2.58
Ibandronic acid 150mg tablets 1 £15.26
Ibandronic acid 50mg tablets 28 £36.45
Indometacin 25mg capsules 28 £10.24
Indometacin 50mg capsules 28 £20.12
Irbesartan 150mg tablets 28 £2.19
Irbesartan 75mg tablets 28 £1.21
Isotretinoin 20mg capsules 30 £31.59
Ivabradine 2.5mg tablets 56 £51.56
Labetalol 100mg tablets 56 £14.05
Labetalol 200mg tablets 56 £18.38
Lacidipine 4mg tablets 28 £1.95
Lacosamide 200mg tablets 56 £4.42
Lamotrigine 100mg tablets 56 £2.35
Lamotrigine 200mg tablets 56 £3.50
Lamotrigine 25mg tablets 56 £1.66
Lamotrigine 50mg tablets 56 £2.04
Lansoprazole 15mg orodispersible tablets 28 £2.73
Lansoprazole 30mg orodispersible tablets 28 £5.39
Leflunomide 10mg tablets 30 £10.13
Leflunomide 20mg tablets 30 £9.38
Lercanidipine 10mg tablets 28 £1.52
Lercanidipine 20mg tablets 28 £2.16
Letrozole 2.5mg tablets 28 £2.50
Levetiracetam 100mg/ml oral solution sugar free 300 £4.60
Levothyroxine sodium 12.5microgram tablets 28 £9.93
Lofepramine 70mg tablets 56 £25.48
Loratadine 5mg/5ml oral solution 100 £2.30
Lymecycline 408mg capsules 28 £5.40
Lymecycline 408mg capsules 56 £10.80
Mebeverine 135mg tablets 100 £2.44
Mefenamic acid 500mg tablets 28 £15.88
Melatonin 2mg modified-release tablets 30 £2.25
Metformin 1g modified-release tablets 56 £1.90
Methenamine hippurate 1g tablets 60 £18.39
Midazolam 10mg/2ml solution for injection ampoules 10 £4.70
Mometasone 0.1% cream 30 £4.14
Mometasone 0.1% cream 100 £12.03
Morphine sulfate 10mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules 10 £7.15
Naftidrofuryl 100mg capsules 84 £10.50
Nicotine 4mg medicated chewing gum sugar free 96 £13.57
Nifedipine 10mg capsules 90 £82.88
Nifedipine 5mg capsules 90 £66.78
Nizatidine 150mg capsules 30 £65.04
Oxazepam 10mg tablets 28 £7.14
Oxazepam 15mg tablets 28 £7.01
Oxybutynin 10mg modified-release tablets 28 £24.04
Oxybutynin 2.5mg tablets 56 £3.55
Oxybutynin 5mg modified-release tablets 28 £13.82
Oxybutynin 5mg tablets 56 £6.07
Oxycodone 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free 250 £7.35
Oxytetracycline 250mg tablets 28 £42.90
Perindopril erbumine 2mg tablets 30 £0.99
Perindopril erbumine 4mg tablets 30 £1.97
Perindopril erbumine 8mg tablets 30 £3.96
Phenobarbital 15mg tablets 28 £5.52
Phenobarbital 30mg tablets 28 £1.91
Phenobarbital 60mg tablets 28 £3.11
Pregabalin 100mg capsules 84 £1.83
Pregabalin 150mg capsules 56 £2.20
Pregabalin 200mg capsules 84 £2.48
Pregabalin 225mg capsules 56 £3.10
Pregabalin 25mg capsules 56 £1.14
Pregabalin 300mg capsules 56 £2.83
Pregabalin 50mg capsules 84 £1.84
Pregabalin 75mg capsules 56 £1.46
Prochlorperazine 3mg buccal tablets 50 £21.73
Promethazine hydrochloride 25mg tablets 56 £2.12
Propranolol 80mg modified-release capsules 28 £21.33
Propranolol 80mg tablets 56 £2.28
Prucalopride 1mg tablets 28 £6.24
Prucalopride 2mg tablets 28 £6.61
Pyridostigmine bromide 60mg tablets 200 £15.31
Quinine sulfate 300mg tablets 28 £3.20
Rabeprazole 10mg gastro-resistant tablets 28 £2.13
Rabeprazole 20mg gastro-resistant tablets 28 £3.43
Ramipril 1.25mg capsules 28 £6.82
Ramipril 1.25mg tablets 28 £1.93
Ramipril 10mg capsules 28 £1.17
Ramipril 2.5mg capsules 28 £0.94
Ramipril 2.5mg tablets 28 £0.81
Ramipril 5mg capsules 28 £0.81
Ranolazine 375mg modified-release tablets 60 £5.68
Ranolazine 500mg modified-release tablets 60 £6.70
Ranolazine 750mg modified-release tablets 60 £8.80
Repaglinide 2mg tablets 90 £21.26
Rivaroxaban 20mg tablets 28 £1.70
Rivastigmine 3mg capsules 28 £1.96
Rivastigmine 9.5mg/24hours transdermal patches 30 £91.52
Ropinirole 2mg tablets 28 £12.65
Rosuvastatin 10mg tablets 28 £1.83
Rosuvastatin 20mg tablets 28 £1.53
Rosuvastatin 40mg tablets 28 £1.31
Rosuvastatin 5mg tablets 28 £1.18
Sennosides 7.5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free 500 £14.31
Sertraline 100mg tablets 28 £1.23
Sertraline 50mg tablets 28 £1.07
Sitagliptin 100mg tablets 28 £1.78
Sodium bicarbonate 500mg capsules 56 £5.20
Sotalol 40mg tablets 28 £2.64
Sotalol 80mg tablets 28 £5.20
Spironolactone 25mg tablets 28 £0.99
Sumatriptan 100mg tablets 6 £5.20
Sumatriptan 50mg tablets 6 £5.85
Tadalafil 5mg tablets 28 £4.12
Tamoxifen 20mg tablets 30 £4.54
Tibolone 2.5mg tablets 28 £5.25
Timolol 0.5% eye drops 5 £2.30
Tolterodine 1mg tablets 56 £11.38
Tolterodine 2mg tablets 56 £11.68
Topiramate 100mg tablets 60 £1.87
Tramadol 50mg capsules 30 £0.75
Tramadol 50mg capsules 100 £2.50
Tranexamic acid 500mg tablets 60 £3.68
Travoprost 40micrograms/ml eye drops 2.5 £1.75
Trihexyphenidyl 2mg tablets 84 £122.64
Trimethoprim 50mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free 100 £8.36
Valsartan 80mg capsules 28 £4.57
Venlafaxine 37.5mg tablets 56 £4.60
Venlafaxine 75mg tablets 56 £5.97
Warfarin 1mg tablets 28 £1.99
Zolpidem 10mg tablets 28 £1.05
