Latest news with #Creon
Daily Record
23-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Countryfile's Adam Henson reveals tough ordeal following shock health diagnosis
Countryfile presenter Adam Henson has opened up about his wife Charlie's heartbreaking cancer diagnosis saying the family 'went through the mill' but came out 'stronger' following the news. BBC's Countryfile presenter Adam Henson has opened up about his family's struggles after wife Charlie was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, saying they "went through the mill" following her shock diagnosis in 2021. It began when Charlie first started feeling unwell over Christmas in 2020. In February the following year, doctors discovered a 4.5cm tumour and delivered the devastating news about the low chances of survival. Fortunately, doctors determined that Charlie's cancer was treatable, Gloucestershire Live reports. She had surgery to remove part of her pancreas and was placed on a long-term care plan that includes biannual scans, Creon capsules, blood thinners and iron supplements. In an interview with BBC Gloucestershire, Adam shared that the family "went through the mill" during the difficult period. He recalled: 'Back in 2021 my then partner, now wife, got pancreatic cancer, which was a terrifying diagnosis that often leads to palliative care and people losing their lives." 'My heart goes out to the people who have been in that situation but we were very fortunate that the type of pancreatic cancer she had was known as neuroendocrine and it turned out that it was treatable." "She had the Whipple procedure, a very complicated operation and we're now two years further on and she is fit and healthy. She has to take certain enzymes when she eats because the piece of the pancreas that has been removed means her enzymes aren't active enough to digest her food properly." 'We went through the mill but we have come out the other side. It was a very, very difficult time for her in particular but for us as a family," he concluded. In Adam's 2023 book Christmas on the Farm, Charlie contributed a heartfelt passage detailing her difficult health journey. She stated: "Remembering to take enough Creon was difficult at first, and I slipped up a few times, with a gripey tummy afterwards to remind me to do better in future.' "I am better now, but it's a lifetime commitment. Fortunately, I have not become diabetic, which can happen after this surgery, so my insulin levels are checked regularly." "Having a scan is absolutely terrifying. The worry starts to build up a couple of months beforehand, then there is the wait for the result, which is all-consuming," she added, before penning: "If you get a clear scan, and thank God, I have so far had clear results, it is the best gift in the world. You have six months of your life back that you thought you might not have." Adam says the couple 'made a point' of spending more time together after the diagnosis. He explained that "everything in life" was altered by the experience. Adam shared that the couple "made a point" of prioritising more time together following the diagnosis, stating that the experience changed "everything in life." The presenter went on to explain, saying: "Our experience means we both want to make the absolute most of life, say yes to things and make time for what's important. It's such a cliche, but nothing is as important as your health."
Daily Mail
08-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Cancer patients in the UK dealing with 'worst drug shortage' as sufferers forced to skip meals and ration doses of their medication
Cancer patients are skipping meals, rationing doses and travelling more than 30 miles to get hold of medication amidst the 'worst ever' drug stock shortage, pharmacists have warned. A new survey has found that an astonishing 96 per cent of pharmacies are struggling to supply their patients with a crucial cancer drug called Creon. Thousands of Britons who have suffered pancreas cancer rely on the tablets to help them digest food. However, Creon has been in short supply in the UK for over a year. Without the drug, patient are at-risk of malnutrition and dangerous weight loss. According to the National Pharmacy Association, which carried out the survey, pharmacists have described the Creon shortage as the 'worst stockage shortage' they have ever had to deal with. As a result, patients are reportedly spending hours hunting stock, 'tightly rationing their medication' and even eating just one meal a day to eke out their Creon, the survey revealed. Creon is just one of dozens of crucial medicines that have been hard to access since the Covid pandemic, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT), antibiotics and inhalers. Research suggests that more than half of patients have struggled to have their prescriptions met over the past year. As part of its End The Drug Shortage Nightmare campaign, The Mail on Sunday has called on the Government to give pharmacists the power to make substitutions for patients when drugs are out of stock and to force manufacturers to give advance warning of known shortages or face fines. We also believe there should be a database for patients to check which pharmacies have drugs in stock – and we say all NHS patients should be allowed to use well-stocked hospital pharmacies to source critical medicines. Alfie Bailey-Bearfield, of Pancreatic Cancer UK, called the survey findings 'deeply worrying' and said they 'echo the distress and frustration [it is] hearing from patients…across the UK' 'Thousands of people affected by pancreatic cancer rely on taking PERT tablets every time they eat simply to digest their food and absorb nutrients – something most of us take for granted,' he said. 'It's totally unacceptable that they are still taking desperate measures that put their health, wellbeing and their eligibility for treatment at risk.'
BBC News
05-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
'I will fade away without vital pancreas medication', says Hartley man
A Kent man who has had three-quarters of his pancreas removed says he will "fade away" without a medication that there has been a nationwide shortage of since Elcombe, from Hartley, takes Creon three times a day, after major surgery three years ago left him no longer able to create enough enzymes to break down food. As it stands, he has three and a half weeks worth of tablets left, having only had one prescription filled this said: "You need it to survive, without it [Creon] your body can't break down the as important as insulin is to a diabetic." The nationwide shortage, which the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) says is a "European-wide" supply issue, has forced the 63-year-old and his wife to spend time travelling to different pharmacies in a bid to get the said: "I know it sounds dramatic, but without it you will just fade very scary."Mr Elcombe also had a third of his stomach removed during the operation, alongside his gallbladder and part of his small said he had a hugely depleted supply of Creon despite reducing his intake from the intended 24 tablets to just eight a limits what he can consume because the 63-year-old can't eat without it. He added: "You're never 100% after your operation. The fatigue you get is chronic; not eating makes it worse."Mr Elcombe said the shortage - which has become worse this year - was not expected to lift until December 2026.A spokesperson for the DHSC said: "We know how frustrating and distressing medicine supply issues can be for patients and the clinicians caring for them."The European-wide supply issues with Creon are caused by a limited availability of raw ingredients and manufacturing capacity constraints."We are working closely with industry and the NHS to mitigate the impact on patients and resolve the issues as quickly as possible."
Medscape
02-06-2025
- Business
- Medscape
UK Pharmacies Struggle with Severe Creon Shortage
Nearly all UK pharmacies are experiencing severe 'challenges' supplying pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT), the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) warned. A sample survey by the association found that 96% of pharmacies were struggling to obtain Creon (pancrelipase, Mylan). A further 89% reported difficulties supplying PERT alternatives. Patients Resorting to Extreme Measures The ongoing shortage has forced patients to take desperate action, according to the NPA, which said some are rationing existing medication supplies or skipping meals entirely. One pharmacist described it as the 'worst stock shortage' they had ever encountered. Patients report eating only one meal daily, contacting multiple pharmacies for supplies, or travelling more than 30 miles to obtain the medication. Critical Medication for Serious Conditions Creon is used to treat pancreatic exocrine insufficiency from a variety of causes, including pancreatic cancer, cystic fibrosis, and pancreatitis. The medication, derived from porcine pancreatin, contains lipase, protease, and amylase. It dissolves rapidly in the stomach to release its enzyme load in the small intestine, where its lipolytic, amylolytic, and proteolytic activity enable absorption of the products of pancreatic digestion. PERT medications need to be taken to facilitate digestion every time a patient eats. In clinical trials, treatment with Creon markedly improved stool consistency, abdominal pain, and stool frequency, independent of the underlying disease. The consequences of inadequate dosing can be severe. Patients may become too unwell for surgery, struggle with chemotherapy tolerance, or experience debilitating symptoms that diminish quality of life. Symptoms may include diarrhoea, flatulence, bloating, abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, and oily, foul-smelling stools (steatorrhoea). Safety Concerns Olivier Picard, NPA chair, warned the shortage has 'profound effects' on patients who depend on the medication to survive and lead normal lives. 'It simply cannot be right that in the 21st century patients are skipping meals in order to ration their medication,' he said. Last week, the government extended the current Serious Shortage Protocol (SSP) for Creon until 21 November 2025. The protocol allows pharmacists to use professional judgement to decide whether it's 'reasonable and appropriate' to substitute a patient's prescription for an alternative agent for one dispensing month. It allows pharmacies to supply a reduced quantity of Creon capsules that might be in stock, without having to send a patient back to their GP to get a new prescription. Two SSPs for Creon 10,000 and 25,000 capsules have been in place since May 2024. However, the survey found that 81% of pharmacies felt the current arrangements for managing the shortage were inadequate. In particular, pharmacists were still obliged to refer patients back to prescribers when seeking PERT alternatives. Alternative PERT formulations Nutrizym and Pancrex are also now in short supply as manufacturers struggle to meet demand. GPs and pharmacies can order unlicensed Creon or other PERT products from overseas, but other countries have experienced similar shortages. Calls for Regulatory Change The NPA and Pancreatic Cancer UK issued a joint statement urging government action. They called for a national plan to address shortages and support patients with alternative care. Picard said that although the situation was complex and not the fault of the government, medicine shortages were all too common. 'Highly trained pharmacists should also be permitted to use their professional judgment to supply alternative medicines — where it is safe and appropriate — in the event of the prescribed version being unavailable.' Alfie Bailey-Bearfield, head of influencing and health improvement at Pancreatic Cancer UK, said that the findings were 'deeply worrying'. It was 'totally unacceptable' that cancer patients were still taking desperate measures that put their health, wellbeing, and eligibility for treatment at risk, when the charity had been raising concerns with Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) officials and PERT suppliers for more than a year. 'This crisis continues to put people's health on the line, and they cannot afford to wait any longer,' he said. A DHSC spokesperson said that the supply issues with Creon were European-wide and caused by limited availability of raw ingredients along with manufacturing capacity constraints. 'We are working closely with industry and the NHS to mitigate the impact on patients and resolve the issues as quickly as possible,' the spokesperson said.
North Wales Live
02-06-2025
- Health
- North Wales Live
Cancer patients hit by key drug shortage
Patients battling cancer are facing severe difficulties due to a dire lack of the essential medication Creon which over 60,000 UK patients rely on. The shortage has prompted some people to only eat once a day as they ration their supplies, according to warnings from pharmacists. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said those suffering from pancreatic cancer, cystic fibrosis, and chronic pancreatitis are affected by this shortage and some are travelling over 30 miles in desperate search of the medication. Creon serves as a vital pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (Pert) that helps patients properly digest food and absorb its nutrients. Recent data from an NPA survey of 300 pharmacies revealed a startling 96% are experiencing issues stocking Creon, with 89% also saying they've struggled to provide alternative Pert treatments. Patient hardships reported include cases where individuals have resorted to consuming only one meal a day to make their supply of Creon last longer, as well as people going without medication or travelling across multiple pharmacies to find some. A pharmacist has expressed their concern, labelling this the "worst stock shortage" ever encountered in their profession. In response, the Government has decided to extend the serious shortage protocols (SSP) for Creon up until November. Stay informed on the latest health news by signing up to our newsletter here. These rules allow pharmacists to dispense a smaller number of available Creon capsules without requiring patients to go back to their GP for a renewed prescription. The NPA survey also discovered that a significant 81% of pharmacies believe the current procedures for managing the shortage of Creon fall short of what is needed. The study revealed that pharmacists are still having to redirect patients back for new prescriptions for an alternative Pert product, or an unlicensed Creon product. Olivier Picard, chairman of the NPA, said: "Pharmacies are at the sharp end of medicine shortages, spending hours hunting stock and supporting frustrated and concerned patients. "It simply cannot be right that in the 21st century patients are skipping meals in order to ration their medication. "Although we recognise this situation is complex and not the fault of the Government, it's important they convene a taskforce and a national action plan to tackle this particular shortage given its impact on patients. Alfie Bailey-Bearfield, head of influencing and health improvement at Pancreatic Cancer UK, added: "Thousands of people affected by pancreatic cancer rely on taking Pert tablets every time they eat simply to digest their food and absorb nutrients – something most of us take for granted. "It's totally unacceptable that they are still taking desperate measures which puts their health, wellbeing and their eligibility for treatment at risk. "For over a year, we have been raising concerns with Department of Health and Social Care officials and Pert suppliers, urging them to prioritise solutions that reduce the impact on patients. "But despite these conversations, progress has been far too slow and patients continue to pay the price. The situation is unacceptable and it demands immediate action." A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: "We know how frustrating and distressing medicine supply issues can be for patients and the clinicians caring for them. "The European-wide supply issues with Creon are caused by a limited availability of raw ingredients and manufacturing capacity constraints. We are working closely with industry and the NHS to mitigate the impact on patients and resolve the issues as quickly as possible."
