There is a supply disruption to Rivastigmine 4.6mg/24hours and 9.5mg/24hours transdermal patches, which are in limited supply until w/c 15 December 2025.
Please follow the information in the medicines supply notification (MSN) here and in the SPS medicines supply tool (free to register) for alternatives and management advice.
Required actions: Clinicians should not initiate new patients on rivastigmine transdermal patches until the supply issue has resolved and should:
- Identify patients using the patches whose supply will run out in the next 2 weeks
- Review patients to establish if they have insufficient supply to last until the resupply date, to avoid abrupt cessation of treatment and risk of worsening cognitive or behavioural symptoms;
- Prioritise remaining stock for patients unable to swallow oral formulations or who could not tolerate their gastrointestinal side effects;
- For patients able to swallow solid dosage forms, consider prescribing an oral rivastigmine formulation (see Supporting Information in MSN or SPS tool), taking into account treatment history; and
- Where these options are not suitable, consider prescribing unlicensed supplies of rivastigmine patches (see Supporting Information in MSN or SPS tool).
- Liaise with your local community pharmacies for local stock availability
- Ensure that prescriptions are generated on a separate script and print out or document the bar code for the token for the patient to take to any pharmacy.
Advice should be sought from specialists via advice and guidance if the above options are not considered suitable and for further advice on treatment options.
– Anushka Uppal, Lead Pharmaceutical Advisor, Medication Governance, Quality & Safety