# In a declared medicine shortage, UK law lets a substitute be supplied without going back to the prescriber only when a pharmacist judges it reasonable and appropriate

Page: https://flyvolo.ai/en/changes/ev-20190209-pharmacist-4
Date: 2019-02-09 · Stage: Constraint
Can this record move a task judgement? yes
Occupation: https://flyvolo.ai/en/careers/pharmacist

## Scope

United Kingdom. The regulation lets a prescription-only medicine be supplied under a serious shortage protocol issued by ministers, on condition that the supply is by or under the supervision of a pharmacist who, in the exercise of their professional skill and judgement, is of the opinion that supplying a different strength, quantity, form or medicine is reasonable and appropriate. Inserted with effect from 9 February 2019; read in the version up to date to October 2026. It covers shortages handled under a protocol, not all supply problems.

## Source

- legislation.gov.uk — The Human Medicines Regulations 2012, regulation 226A, Sale etc by a pharmacist in accordance with a serious shortage protocol (inserted 9 February 2019 by SI 2019/62) — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/1916/regulation/226A (primary source)

## What this means

In the UK, deciding what a patient gets instead when a medicine runs short is a pharmacist's professional judgement.

## What it does not show yet

Only shortages handled under a ministerial protocol; it does not measure pharmacists' time.

## How to verify it yourself

Open The Human Medicines Regulations 2012, regulation 226A, and find "in the exercise of his or her professional skill and judgement".


More: https://flyvolo.ai/llms.txt