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Pharmacies says a deficiency of authorities readying is down a shortage of cough and acold medicines successful shops.
The Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies said its members study a scarcity of "all medicines", successful peculiar cough mixtures and lozenges.
Flu and Covid cases has enactment unit connected the NHS and pharmacies said determination should person been "better" connection with manufacturers.
The Department of Health has been contacted for comment.
Manufactures accidental determination is not a proviso issue.
Leyla Hannbeck, main enforcement of the AIMP, acknowledged determination were wider logistical challenges and said precocious request for medicines to dainty acold and flu symptoms this wintertime has meant the proviso concatenation has not been capable to support up with demand.
Department of Health officials should person recognised "there are problems and pass better" with suppliers and manufacturers, she added,
"For example, with acold and flu, we knew immoderate months agone cases were going up... So you would person thought that plans would person been successful spot successful presumption of managing this with regards to liaising with manufacturers and getting the products in."
Ms Hannbeck told the BBC: "We person ne'er seen this level of shortage of medicine before."
She said she did not privation to make panic and urged radical not to stockpile supplies, but said it was important to "raise these concerns".
"As pharmacists, we bash everything we tin to guarantee we enactment patients successful each mode imaginable and effort and benignant alternatives, oregon springiness proposal connected however to negociate acold and flu symptoms," she said.
About 1 successful 8 infirmary beds successful England are present occupied by patients with Covid and flu.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay has said specified patients are putting "massive pressure" connected services and the NHS was facing immense challenges. He said the authorities was providing other backing to help.
The commercialized relation representing the manufactures of over-the-counter medicines said companies were moving astatine "maximum capacity" to conscionable request and "not reporting immoderate issues supplying" their products.
Michelle Riddalls, main enforcement of the Proprietary Association of Great Britain, said: "While immoderate cough oregon acold products whitethorn beryllium little readily disposable astatine immoderate stores this is apt to beryllium precise sporadic and determination are nary reports of wide shortages."
She said urged customers who cannot find their preferred marque to effort alternate products oregon to talk to pharmacists.
High Street pharmacists Boots and Superdrug besides said patients who were incapable to find their preferred products should talk with their staff.
Superdrug said it had seen a immense request for cough and acold medicines.
A spokesperson for Boots said: "General availability of cough and acold alleviation astatine our stores crossed the UK is good, and capable to conscionable existent demand.
"There whitethorn beryllium impermanent shortages successful immoderate stores of a peculiar brand, eg Lemsip, but determination volition astir ever beryllium suitable alternatives available."
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