In an informative circular, the National Medicines and
Health Products Authority (Infarmed) states that “medicines containing
propranolol (Inderal, coated tablet, 10 and 40 mg) are out of stock”, and it is
expected that this will continue until the beginning of 2023.
In view of this situation, Infarmed recommends that doctors,
whenever possible, prescribe therapeutic alternatives to this drug, which is
“an antihypertensive drug belonging to the class of non-selective cardiac beta
blockers”.
It also says that it is analysing the possibility of using
medicines labelled in a foreign language.
“In order to guarantee access to the medicine for patients
who do not have alternatives, and while it is not possible to use the medicines
in a foreign language, hospitals and pharmacies will be able to purchase this
medicine through the exceptional use authorisation mechanism”, stresses
Infarmed.
It also mentions that the company responsible for marketing
this medicine - Atnahs Pharma Netherlands B.V. – is making efforts to bring
forward the date of replacement of the drug used to control hypertension.