The companies that are responsible for supplying medicines in Australia do their best to maintain supply. However, sometimes shortages cannot be avoided. On occasion, there may be a Creon supply issue. Creon is a pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy for people with pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI).
Being aware of medicine shortages can help you and your prescribing doctor and pharmacist manage the impact of a shortage.
Here are some tips about how you can obtain Creon for yourself or a loved one when supplies are low.
A medicine shortage occurs when the supply of a medicine in Australia is not likely to meet normal or projected customer demand. These shortages may arise for many reasons, ranging from shortages of raw materials to natural disasters.
No, you may first hear about supply issues when you are getting prescriptions filled.
The TGA website will publish a notice when stock is low.
The TGA is aware of the current issues and expects stock to increase, see here
You should always contact your doctor or pharmacist if you have any concerns about the medication you are taking. Your healthcare professionals are experienced in determining suitable options for you when a medicine is in short supply.
Have a quick check of chemists near you that may have stock available.
At your preferred chemist, speak to the pharmacist and determine whether Creon is on "manual allocation". If it is, ask whether they can request stock from their wholesaler.
Any pharmacist can do this for you, although it may take a few days for the stock to arrive.
If possible, look at getting your script refilled when you have about a week's supply remaining. This allows time for stock to arrive so that you are not left without medication.
Pharmacy wholesale suppliers are the businesses from which pharmacies obtain medicines and other products that they sell to customers.
If the above steps have been followed and the pharmacy cannot obtain supply (which is very rare), it can contact the manufacturer directly for assistance.
Pharmacists can contact Viatris on:
Phone: 1800 274 276
Email: medinfo@anz@viatris.com