Parkinson's medication: supply update

Getting your prescription

Pharmaceutical companies are facing supply problems with some medicines. Please check with your local pharmacy, as they may have your usual medicine in stock.  Some pharmacies, like Boots and Lloyds Pharmacy, have stock checkers that can be useful for checking medicine availability.

However, if your area does have supply shortages, you may not be able to get your usual prescription.

Alternatives may be suitable. Your doctor or pharmacist will discuss this with you.

Having problems getting hold of your medication can be stressful. Read more about what to do if you're having problems getting hold of your medication. 

Parkinson's drugs: current shortages 

Updated 2 March 2026

Teva Pharmaceuticals

• Co-careldopa 25 mg/100 mg tablets x100 will experience supply issues until early March 2026.
• Co-careldopa 25 mg/250 mg tablets x100 will experience supply issues until early March 2026.
• Ropinirole 0.25 mg tablets will experience supply issues until late March 2026.
• Ropinirole 2 mg tablets will experience supply issues until late March 2026.
   

Aspire Pharma

• Repinex XL (ropinirole) 2 mg extended release tablets x28 are currently experiencing supply issues.
• Repinex XL (ropinirole) 4 mg extended release tablets x28 are currently experiencing supply issues.
• Repinex XL (ropinirole) 8 mg extended release tablets x28 are currently experiencing supply issues.

Britannia

APO-go® (apomorphine hydrochloride) pre-filled syringes (PFS) are being discontinued and will no longer be available from September 2025. If you use an APO-go® PFS, your healthcare team should talk this through with you and you will decide together the best option for taking apomorphine.

APO-go® POD (apomorphine hydrochloride hemihydrate) 100mg/20ml solution for infusion cartridges remain available and can support increased demand.

Please see our apomorphine page for further information. 

If you have any concerns, speak with your healthcare team or call our helpline on 0808 800 0303.

Why the UK has medicine supply issues

The UK has some specific challenges, but the NHS is not alone in experiencing drug shortages. A recent European Association of Hospital Pharmacists survey reported that 89% of hospital pharmacists across Europe experience shortages that get in the way of delivering the best care.

The causes of medicine shortages are complex and can be due to a combination of factors, including:

• manufacturing and distribution issues
• medicines pricing
• wider factors, like the impact of Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and other conflicts across the world.

We are working with other organisations to make sure the government does all it can to solve medicine supply problems. 

For doctors and pharmacists

Please seek advice from your NHS pharmacy procurement specialist or the Specialist Pharmacy Service.

Staying up to date with supply issues

We'll post updates as pharmaceutical companies share them with us. They'll let us know what action they're taking to make sure medications are available for people with Parkinson's.