High street chains Boots and Superdrug claim they have run out of some hay fever medicines, with maker GlaxoSmithKline blaming temporary supply chain issues.
According to the Guardian, Piriton and Piriteze tablets, produced by the pharma company, are out of stock due to an industry-wide shortage of chlorphenamine maleate, the active ingredient in the medication.
However, Boots said four of its 90 hay fever products were affected by the shortage, the Piriton tablets as well as its own brand version, while Superdrug said it was short on two products.
However, the medications are anticipated to be back in healthy supply within the next few weeks, a Boots spokesperson told the Guardian.
“At Boots we have a large range of hay fever relief medicines, with good availability of stock overall in our stores and online. There are a very small number of lines that are currently out of stock due to a current, industry-wide shortage of the active ingredient.”
“However, we are expecting this to be resolved soon and new deliveries are expected in the coming weeks.”
Currently, there is no cause for concern among members of the public plagued by the allergy, with The Royal Pharmaceutical Society adding there are plenty of other hay fever medicines available.