Society of Endocrinology advice re medication / swine flu

"Patients taking hydrocortisone need longer prescriptions in light of current flu pandemic" was the advice given by the Society of Endocrinology in a press release recently:

Click HERE to read it.

If your GP practice will only supply a months worth of medication at a time, it may be worth you printing this sheet off and taking it with you, when you request a new prescription. It advises that ideally six months worth of medication should be prescribed, as "it is ultimately the responsibility of GPs to ensure their patients with an actute steroid dependency do not run out of medication". They also recommend "that all patients requiring hydrocortisone should keep a minimum supply of two months' medication in reserve for emergencies". This is just the ammunition if anyone is having problems getting their surgery to prescribe more than the usual recommended 28 days supply of medication, hopefully this advice sheet will persuade them that they need to make an exception for CAH patients!

This statement also states that increasing prescription lengths for patients requiring hydrocortisone "would provide a safeguard for patients against supply disruptions, which may occur due to problems with the transportation infrastructure during the peak of a pandemic".

The Society of Endocrinology have also produced an information sheet on swine flu for patients taking hydrocortisone, which is also of interest:

Click HERE to read.