BNF:

GI Chapter

Status:

Grey

Decision Date:

May 2020

Comments

EMA have issued a recommendation of suspension of ranitidine medicines in the EU.

A DHSC disruption alert, October 2019 recommends healthcare professionals to identify current patients prescribed oral ranitidine and review to establish if ongoing treatment is still required. If so consider switching to an alternative treatment.  

• For patients switching from ranitidine, omeprazole is the first-choice PPI where clinically appropriate as there are currently sufficient supplies to manage increase in demand (note interaction with clopidogrel).  
• It is recommended that patients are not switched to alternative H2-receptor antagonists in the first instance as this may exacerbate a shortage of these products.  
• Consult specialist clinicians who use ranitidine to identify circumstances when ranitidine cannot be substituted with clinical alternatives. Reserve any remaining supplies of oral ranitidine for circumstances where specialists consider there are no clinically appropriate alternatives.
   

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