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Drug shortages-imatinib

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Hi All,
I came across this
"There are ongoing shortages of imatinib .............................Several manufacturers including Teva and Upsher-Smith have reported back orders or intermittent availablity. Upsher-Smith is also discontinuing the product in the second half of 2025 according to ASHP ( an agency monitoring drug supplies.) Alternative brands like Novartis Gleevec and Mylans version are still available."
Date 8 July 2025 ;a US location

My comments from UK -I have not been able to get my usual Sandoz imatinib 400 mg and had to do with the 100 mg version x 4 instead. Teva was available.
My pharmacist related the exact same problem of intermittent supplies from their online wholesaler suppliers and also the manufacturers-supplies appear /do not appear on a regular basis.
It is interesting to see that the original branded Glivec from Novartis is still available but at a slightly higher price of course .
NICE figures based on 30x400mg tablets-1 month supply
Glivec (original branded) ,£1946 ,TEVA £1849, Dr Reddy ££1836, Sandoz £1654 and all the others confidential prices to NHS hospitals with just Accord divulged at £209
I read that Glivec apart from a particular arthritis drug was one of the most successful sellers for Novartis-so I dont know why there are supply issues-manufacturing or supply chain problems or both?

John

Hi. John.

Thank you for update. I am with Hammersmith hospital no reports of shortages to. It is a worry has these drugs are essential.

Hi,
I think that the larger and the big research units/cancer centres may well have assured supply routes but the smaller NHS trusts may well face some issues in the next six months especially if their budgets from government for so called "specialised services" perhaps are under threat .Some of the special confidential deals on price that NHS does with manufacturers may be a problem. Wait and see.
John