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We know that some of you will be directly affected by these shortages. If you've been experiencing problems accessing PERT, please take five minutes to fill out our survey.
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Our plan to address PERT shortages
We have published a five-point plan calling on the UK Government, medicine regulators and the NHS to address PERT shortages.
Access to Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy (PERT) is vital for people affected by pancreatic cancer. It’s been over a year since damaging PERT shortages intensified across the UK.
PERT is as essential for people with pancreatic cancer as insulin is for people with diabetes. A proactive response is needed to address the shortages and the impact these are having on our community.
We have been discussing this situation regularly with Department of Health and Social Care officials and PERT suppliers, pushing them to prioritise and address the shortages. But the situation isn’t being resolved quickly enough for patients. Now, we need strong leadership from the new UK Government to really drive forward progress and solutions.
Our five-point plan for PERT
After consulting with patients, medicine suppliers, other charities and health professionals, we have published a five-point plan to address PERT shortages.
This plan proposes solutions to address this issue. It will help us build pressure on decision makers who are responsible for ending these shortages.
The UK Government must urgently deliver a national action plan to address PERT shortages
- The plan should consider the challenges across the supply chain, the impact on patients and possible solutions. The plan should be delivered urgently, and hand out clear responsibility for delivery of its actions.
- It must establish a Vaccines Taskforce style group to respond to the shortages and deliver the plan. This should be led by the UK Government in consultation with stakeholders across industry, manufacturing, pharmacy, patient groups, the NHS and regulators.
The UK Government must meet demand for PERT now, including through a national effort to import PERT into the UK
- The UK Government and national NHS bodies must meet demand for PERT in the UK by centralising the purchasing of PERT from overseas on a national level.
- This will reduce the burden and costs on individual pharmacists and hospitals to import PERT and reduce the impact of shortages on patients.
The UK Government must get on top of supply and demand issues
- A better understanding of the supply and demand of PERT will help stakeholders to identify the changes needed to ensure that everyone who needs PERT can get it.
- The UK Government must carry out a robust supply and demand forecast to prepare for the future.
- NHS organisations and governments across the UK must have an open dialogue with suppliers, patients and health professionals to understand day-to-day supply and demand issues and take steps to reduce disruptions.
The UK Government and medicines regulator must find a long-term solution to resolve PERT production issues
- The raw material used to make PERT are enzymes from a pig’s pancreas. There is currently a shortage of these enzymes due to changes in consumer diets and the production of leaner pigs: issues that are set to continue.
- The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the UK Government must spearhead a research drive to identify alternative approaches to produce PERT.
What’s next?
The new UK Government must take urgent action on PERT shortages now. We will continue to build pressure on decision makers by working with government officials, but also by raising the profile of shortages in the national media and asking parliamentarians to bring up the issue in Parliaments across the UK.
Could you help? If you or a loved one has been affected, and you’d be willing to speak the media about your experience, we’d be so grateful if you could share your story using this form.
Please see our full five-point plan and watch this space for the latest updates.
Help is available
Our Support Line is available to support people who have been affected by the shortages.
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