Pharmacist says 'it's so concerning' in major new statins warning - key details

Need to know Pharmacist says 'it's so concerning' in major new statins warning - key details A UK pharmacy owner warns it is affecting millions of patients Need to know: A UK pharmacist has warned millions of Brits over statins - A UK pharmacy owner has issued a warning about the UK's 'most severe drug shortage on record' affecting millions who rely on essential medications. - Mo Almobaraki, 57, who runs two pharmacies in Bristol, says it has become "increasingly difficult to obtain very basic medicine" including statins, heart medication and blood pressure drugs. - The pharmacy owner revealed that statin prices shot up "overnight" from £1 to £22 last week. With five million people in England taking statins, he warned that "thousands, maybe millions" of packets are dispensed daily but pharmacies are left footing the bill. - "People are worried about their medication - elderly people - and they can't get it," Mo said. "It's just so difficult and so concerning." - The crisis means pharmacies face impossible choices between refusing patients medication or operating at a loss. "Either we refuse to give it to the patients because we are unable to obtain it or if we are able to obtain it we have to pay extra, above the reimbursements from the NHS," he explained. - Mo says the shortage has worsened since the pandemic and is calling for government intervention. "The Government needs to step in and to support pharmacies because we are kind of 'hands tied' in obtaining medicine," he urged. - A Department of Health spokesperson insisted the "overwhelming majority of medicines licensed in the UK are in good supply" and said the government is investing in UK medicine manufacturing. - READ THE FULL STORY: Pharmacist issues warning to 5 million Brits over statins - 'people are worried'