An overview of the situation
In March of this year, the MHRA (Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) notified us about supply issues of desmopressin 10 mg / dose nasal spray. The notice stated this supply issue would likely be in place until September 2025.
Given it is now September, we understand many of you will have questions about the shortage and want to know if it will be ending soon. We appreciate this has been a stressful and worrying time for many in our community, and we share your frustrations about the ongoing shortage and the issues this creates for patients.
Is there an update?
On behalf of our community, we have been involved in various discussions on this matter including with the MHRA, DHSC (Department of Health and Social Care), and pharmaceutical companies. We have also worked closely with the Society of Endocrinology.
In light of these discussions, we are hopeful that the spray will be available again. We are continuously pushing for more details and as soon as we know more, we will share this with you.
We understand that this shortage has been very challenging for many and we want to thank our community for their continued engagement throughout this time, including the many people who took part in our Desmopressin Shortage Survey. Your insights highlighted the impact of this supply issue on patients, which has been essential in pushing for urgent action to resolve this shortage.
What should I do in the meantime?
If you have switched to an alternative form of desmopressin, you should continue with your prescribed medication as usual.
We understand that many people are finding it difficult to manage their symptoms with different desmopressin forms, such as melts and tablets. If this is the case for you, we suggest speaking with your endocrine team to see if your dose, or type of desmopressin, can be adjusted to help solve these issues. We would also recommend looking through our online and print resources, to help you understand how to best manage your AVP-D and be aware of signs of emergency situations, like hyponatraemia. You can find more information on this at the bottom of this page.
Can I stretch out my remaining supplies of nasal spray?
We have heard from some people that they are missing doses and cutting back to make their remaining supplies of nasal spray last through the shortage. It is not safe to do this as it can mean taking less desmopressin than you need to, which could cause problems. Anyone who has not yet switched to an alternative form of medication should speak to their endocrine team as soon as possible, to make this switch.
What is being done to stop shortages happening again?
We believe more needs to be done to stop shortages of essential medications from happening in the future. We are continuing our advocacy work to hopefully prevent shortages like this one happening again.
How can I find more support and information?
For specific information about emergency situations in AVP-D, and when to seek emergency medical assistance, please visit our emergency information page at https://www.pituitary.org.uk/information/emergency-information/. You can also findmore information in our information booklets, available in our Shop.
If you suspect you are experiencing an emergency situation, you should seek emergency medical attention by calling 999 or visiting A&E.
