After struggling to get further supplies of this anti-coagulant, I was prescribed Fragmin and given a 30 day supply. of syringes as a temporary measure. No further information and the GPs/pharmacists have no information about when supplies will be available. I therefore telephoned Mercury Pharma and the latest news is that supplies to pharmacies will start again in three weeks. Perhaps a few more anxious patients should be telephoning this pharmaceutical company's customer services ( 020 8649 8500 or 020 8686 0807) to register their concerns about being left without appropriate medication and no reliable information about future supplies.
Hi I am also now on Fragmin as a temporary measure. I have been calling, emailing and writing to
Mercury Pharma since May, when I first discovered that there was yet another shortage, (Same thing
happened last year). Since then I have been on to them on a weekly basis, and have always had the
same answer, "Phenindione will be available at the end of the month". I have got my MP involved and
have even had a letter from the Minister of Health. I have also tried getting the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), World Health Organisation (WHO), National Institute for Clinical
Excellence (NICE), Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and the press involved, all
with either no or limited success.
On a slightly brighter note, I heard from Mercury Pharma this week that they are awaiting approval from
MHRA to release some 25mg Phenindione tablets to Market, a process which could take 2 - 6 Weeks.
Mercury Pharma have given an estimate of mid month (October 2012)!
Mercury Pharma have a monopoly on this drug, where else could manufacturing problems take over
6 months to resolve? But there seems to be no appetite to take this drug off licence.
I have an allergy to Warfarin, but my GPand consultant are proposing to try and get me desensitised to
Warfarin, so we will see what results that brings.
I agree as many people as possible should CALL, EMAIL AND WRITE to Mercury Pharma and put
pressure on them to get production back as soon as possible. I would also urge individuals to involve
their MP's the more political pressure the better.
Hi there, Really feel for you. I've got 4 people ringing Mercury Pharma on a regular basis and we've been getting the same responses. They have not responded to any of my emails. Yesterday, my GP said she would again be asking the surgery pharmacist to follow up all the enquiries made over a period of 6 months.
Meanwhile, I got admitted to the local hospital 3 weeks ago with chest pains and shortness of breath after being on Fragmin for nearly three months. Bruising and abdominal pain worsened and I couldn't face another injection. The consultant was aware that, like you, I have an allergy to Warfarin but put me on Acenocoumarol (another form of Warfarin). I now have blurred vision, swollen neck glands and bleeding nasal passages.
I am beginning to think that the reason patients on Phenindione are not getting the support we need is cost. Warfarin is cheap by comparison to Phenindione. I keep getting told that 'the majority of patients do well on Warfarin' as if those patients have no side effects when in actual fact they choose not to complain to their doctors , never get their drugs reviewed and take a variety of other drugs to deal with side effects.
I will write to Mercury Pharma again and forward a copy to my MP, Dr Sarah Wollaston, asking for her support.
Wish you well and hope this issue will be resolved soon for all of us.
Hi, Think you have it worse than me, your situation sounds awful! I do hope they sort things out for you soon. Out of interest think we are neighbours, my MP is Adrian Saunders!
I agree the cost of Phenindione is high and recently I found some for £14.52 per 10mg tablet, but they wold only supply 28 tablets which when I'm on 50mg per day is absoultely useless.
I've been told some of the new anticoagulants on the market are pretty good, but they are not licenced for use with my condition and are unlikely to become licenced either!
I wrote to the MD of Mercury Paharma but have never had a reply, going to try the board next, but do not hold out much hope. Tempted to travel down to Croydon and park myself on the doorstep of their HQ!
Fingers crossed for a speedy resolution to this supply issue.
I too have been chasing for phenindione. warfarin makes me really ill, so I am back on clexane injections.
My anti-coag clinic have discharged me until phenindione comes back into stock.
My belly is really sore and bruised, I can cope with that but the injections don't work as well as the tablets.
I have Hughes Syndrome and Lupus and I am loathe to try yet another form of medication when I am trying new ones for my Lupus too.
I just can't uunderstand what the hold up is, no-one can give me a reason. Are they being sold abroad for more money?
I really feel for you, your condition sounds grim. If we can believed Mercury Pharma, we should have Phenindione back this week!
I cannot believe they have taken 6 months to rectify a "manufacturing problem!" I asked my MP to look into it, but he got the same response.
Hi PhilH
I haven't heard from any of my contacts during the past week and the longer it takes to get Phenindione back the more worrying for us all. I have Myeloproliferative Neoplasm and recurring Pulmonary Embolism. Acenocoumarol is the alternative I accepted because I was so desperate to stop the daily Fragmin injections, but I realise now that the side-effects are even worse than ones experienced on Warfarin.
Rivaroxaban is one of the new anti-coagulants being pushed but, like NicE, I'm loathe to add another new drug when there is nothing in the trial papers I've read to reassure as regards inter-action with the medication I'm already taking or the effect it might have on the primary condition.
Hope Mercury Pharma really are releasing supplies this week and that I gets to our neck of the woods sooner rather than later!
Best wishes
I'm planning to start an hour mail to Mercury Pharma tomorrow asking for an update and I'm going to copy MHRA. I also intend to ask an FOI question of MHRA asking them what tests they have to do and if they are testing Phenindione at the moment and when Phen... I'll be released to market. I'll let you know he outcome on this site
Good luck with this. Anything I can do to help? Look forward to hearing from you
Heard from Mercury Pharma, They say that 25mg Phenindione will be released next week! I also submitted 3 FOI requests to MHRA about why no Phenindione and what they have done to secure future supplies.
Hi Phil,
that is fantastic news, unfortunately I won't be holding my breath. call me a pessimist but they haven't fulfilled their promises before.
Anyway lets watch this space I shall be contacting my local pharmacist next week.
fingers crossed.
Hi NicE,
I agree I am not holding my breath either! Icannot believe that they have been unable to resolve the manufacturing issues within 6 months, I think there is more to it than they or MHRA are saying.
I have just heard that I'm going in to hospital on Thursday so they can try me out on Warfarin and see if I really am allergic. Fingers crossed.
Well, i just contacted my pharmacy - they have no news what so ever of phenindione coming back into stock.
If anyone does manages to get hold of some next week - please shout about it!!!!
Hi Nic, will certainly shout if I get any news. Hope Phil is ok with the Warfarin tests. My experience with susttute Acenocoumarol is far from pleasant and today my INR has inexplicably dropped again to 1.7 so I'm getting pretty desperate.
Wish you well
Hi,
News for you all, Firstly I have copied an email I received from Mercury Pharma today. Good luck getting hold of them.
Secondly, So far so good for me on Warfarin, no anaphylactic shock and just the weekend to go on a low dosage to see if there is a cumulative effect.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We would like to inform you that Phenindione 25mg Tablets (PL 10972/0038 ) are now available and can be procured from your local pharmacy on a prescription from your Physician.
If you have any concerns regarding the product, please address these to Mercury Pharma Medical Information on the contact details mentioned below:
Tel No.: 08700 70 3033
Email: medicalinformation@mercurypharma.com
Prescribing decisions about Phenindione will be at the discretion of your doctor only. Please consult your doctor for any concerns about your condition or dosage.
Regards
Medical Information Manager
Mercury Pharma Ltd.
No.1 Croydon
12-16 Addiscombe Road
Surrey CR0 0XT
Email: medicalinformation@mercurypharma.com
Tel: +44 (0)8700 70 30 33
Fax: +44 (0)20 8686 0807
Information provided by Mercury Pharma Medical Information should be viewed at all times alongside the Summary of Product Characteristics. It should not constitute formal clinical advice. The prescribing decisions and clinical management remains at the discretion of the responsible physician. Please feel free to contact us if you require further information.
Try copying even a portion of the email I got from Mercury Pharma today and it goes for moderation.
25mg tablets of Phenindione are available!!!! (PL10972/0038) good luck all of you.
It would appear I'm not allergic to Warfarin, the anaphylactic shock test was fine, just doing the cumulative test. decision on Monday.
Hi Phil - thank you for all your efforts in getting Mercury to give an answer re supplies.
I'm guessing you had the test in the same hospital as me and Warfarin is very definitely first choice there.regardless!
I'm very unhappy with side effects of Acenocourmarol and now fear feeling permanently ill . So I will put in a prescription request for Phenindione in the hope that, if I get this back, life will be a little easier. This is my hope for all of us forced into this awful situation.
Will let you know what happens.
Update:
I Advised my GP of the Mercury Pharma Medical Information Manager's email this morning but local information is that Phenindione will not be available until end of November.
14.00. Just telephoned Mercury Pharma. Now they're saying Phenindione 25mg will be available from wholesalers/distributors at the end of October (does this mean 31/10?!) and 10mg will be available at the end of November.
Really desparate and giving up on Acenocoumarol after a pretty awful 5 days, so its back to Fragmin - hopefully for not too many days!
Hi
All I can say is the email came from Mercury Pharma. Ask your pharmacy to contact Mercury Pharma on the contact details in the email I copied above. That is what I had to do last year, Mercury gave my pharmacy a reference number and I had the Phenindione the following day.
I'm on Warfarin now, just been confirmed today.
If it helps Boots at 8 Fore St, St Marychurch have always been really helpful. The store manager has been amazing and very persistant. Might be worth giving them a try.
Thanks Phil - I have to collect Fragmin in Brixham tomorrow, Will give details to Quay Pharmacy and see what happens. Hope you do manage to tolerate Warfarin, and that the side effects are minimal, as it will at least avoid the stress of the regular supply problems.
Be well