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Originator: DHSC & NHS England and Improvement: Supply disruption alert

Issue date: 24-Jun-2021 14:42:59

This alert has been issued to:
  • Care Trusts
  • Mental Health Trusts
  • MHRA (Medicines) Drug Alerts (Various Recipients)
  • Other contacts
  • Specialists Trusts
  • Independent Healthcare Providers (registered with CAS)
  • Clinical Commissioning Groups
  • NHS Regional Offices
  • Learning Disabilities Trusts
  • Mental Health & Social Care Trusts
  • Ambulance Trusts
  • Social Care Providers (registered with CAS)
  • MHRA (Medicines) Drug Alerts - Non-NHS Recipients
  • Mental Health & Learning Disabilities Trusts
  • Regional Directors of Public Health
  • Director of Public Health
  • Acute Trusts
  • Community Trusts
  • GP - Locum
  • NHS 111 and Out of hours providers
  • GP Practices
  • DHSC Supply Disruption - Medicines
  • Community Pharmacy
  • Primary Care Networks
  • GP Practices 1

Action category: Action

Title: Champix (varenicline) 0.5mg and 1mg tablets - Supply Disruption

Broadcast content:

All Champix® (varenicline) products are unavailable until further notice with very limited residual stock may be available in pharmacies.

  • Patients currently prescribed this treatment will require review and switching to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) unless contraindicated.
  • No new patients should be initiated on Champix® (varenicline) products.
  • Prescribers initiating smoking cessation treatment for new patients should consider prescribing NRT or bupropion 150mg prolonged release tablets unless contraindicated.
  • Helping a patient to stop smoking should not be delayed if they are motivated to stop as other effective options are available.

This alert contains further information and action for providers.

Please note that no response is required via the CAS website to this alert.



Additional information: NHS England and NHS Improvement regional offices: please cascade this alert to community pharmacy.

Alert reference: SDA/2021/006

Attachments:

Contact our helpdesk

Email: safetyalerts@mhra.gov.uk

Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency