The UK, including Scotland, is facing a critical shortage of essential medications, affecting patients with conditions such as cystic fibrosis, ADHD, diabetes, epilepsy, and hormone replacement therapy.

The Mail on Sunday has launched a campaign advocating for changes, including empowering pharmacists to make substitutions, requiring advance notice of shortages from manufacturers, creating a public drug availability database, and allowing NHS patients to access medications from hospital pharmacies.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society highlights the stress caused by these shortages for both patients and pharmacy teams, with specific cases like Sabrina Duncan's difficulties in obtaining ADHD medication for her sons and challenges faced by individuals needing Creon capsules for cystic fibrosis.

Factors contributing to the shortages include manufacturing issues, increased demand, and external influences such as Brexit and the Covid pandemic.

The National Pharmacy Association has reported a significant rise in shortage warnings in recent years.

Both the UK and Scottish governments are actively working to address the crisis, with NHS support available for affected individuals.

The situation underscores the urgent need for reliable access to medications and immediate solutions to ensure patients can manage their health conditions effectively.