Creon is a pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT), which helps people living with conditions such as cystic fibrosis, pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer to digest food.

A sample survey by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) of 300 pharmacies found that 96% of pharmacies reported challenges supplying Creon, with 89% also reporting difficulties in supplying PERT alternatives.

Pharmacies have reported to the NPA that some patients were tightly rationing their medication. Examples included patients who were only eating one meal a day to ration their Creon, patients going without medication or travelling long distances and contacting numerous pharmacies to attempt to find medication in stock.

The findings come as the government last week extended the current Serious Shortage Protocols (SSP) in place for Creon until 21 November 2025.

Two SSPs for Creon 10,000 and 25,000 capsules have already been in place since May 2024. 

The survey also found that 81% of pharmacies felt the current arrangements for managing shortages of Creon are inadequate.

Pharmacists are still having to refer patients back to their prescriber to obtain a new prescription for an alternative PERT product, stock permitting, or an unlicensed Creon product.

The NPA and Pancreatic Cancer UK have urged the government to bring together the supply chain and introduce a national action plan to address the shortages and support patients with alternative care.

Creon is one of a number of medicines pharmacies are finding in short supply. A recent NPA survey found that 96% of pharmacies were unable to dispense a prescription at least once a day despite having a clinically appropriate alternative formulation in stock.

The NPA has urged the government to change the law to make it easier for pharmacists to make substitutions to prescriptions where it is safe to do so, warning the current situation poses a risk to patient safety.

Olivier Picard, chair of the NPA, said: ‘It simply cannot be right that in the 21st century patients are skipping meals in order to ration their medication.

‘Medicine shortages not only cause huge inconvenience but can risk serious patient safety issues, particular in the cases of PERTs including Creon.

‘Although we recognise this situation is complex and not the fault of the government, it's important they convene a taskforce and a national action plan to tackle this particular shortage given its impact on patients.

‘Medicine shortages are all too common so highly trained pharmacists should also be permitted to use their professional judgment to supply alternative medicines – where it is safe and appropriate - in the event of the prescribed version being unavailable.'