UK pharmacies ration aspirin as shortages hit heart and stroke patients
LONDON: For millions of heart patients, aspirin is not just a pill. It is protection against heart attacks and strokes. But in the United Kingdom, that protection is now becoming harder to find.
Pharmacies across the UK are reporting severe shortages of aspirin, forcing many to ration supplies only for the most serious heart patients. The widely used medicine has even been added to the British government’s export ban list in an attempt to protect domestic stocks.
According to the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), which represents around 6,000 pharmacies, nearly nine out of ten chemists were unable to supply aspirin to patients during the past week. The situation is most critical for the low-dose 75mg aspirin, the version commonly prescribed for long-term heart and stroke prevention.
Pharmacies forced to choose who gets medicine
The NPA said its members are now prioritising aspirin for patients with acute heart conditions or emergency prescriptions. Several pharmacies have stopped selling aspirin over the counter altogether due to the shortage.
The Independent Pharmacies Association, which represents more than 5,000 pharmacies, also confirmed serious supply problems, blaming manufacturing delays and global supply pressures.
Dr Leyla Hannbeck, Chief Executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association, called the situation “incredibly worrying”. She warned that low prices paid by the NHS mean manufacturers often prefer supplying other countries instead of the UK.
“The reality is that manufacturers can earn more elsewhere, leaving the UK pushed to the back of the queue,” she said, urging the government to urgently review medicine reimbursement policies.
Why aspirin matters
Low-dose aspirin works as an antiplatelet drug, preventing dangerous blood clots that can cause heart attacks and strokes. Doctors prescribe it for patients who have suffered a heart attack or stroke, have angina or peripheral arterial disease, or have undergone certain heart procedures.
For such patients, missing doses is not a small issue. It can increase the risk of life-threatening events.
Prices soar, pharmacies lose money
A survey of 540 pharmacies by the NPA found that 86 percent could not supply aspirin in the last seven days. The price of a 75mg packet has surged from 18 pence last year to £3.90 this month.
However, the NHS reimburses pharmacies only £2.18 per pack. This means pharmacies lose around £1.72 for every packet they dispense.
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Olivier Picard, Chair of the National Pharmacy Association, said this exposed serious flaws in the pharmacy funding system.
“For those pharmacies that can get hold of supply, costs far exceed what they will be reimbursed by the NHS. This is yet more evidence of a broken pharmacy contract in desperate need of reform,” he said.
The UK aspirin shortage highlights how fragile global drug supply chains can be and why affordable access to essential medicines remains a critical public health issue worldwide.
As demand rises and stocks fall, millions of heart patients in the UK are now living with a new fear: that the pill meant to protect their heart may not be available when they need it most.
Stay informed, stay healthy!
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