NHS medicines shortage putting lives at risk, pharmacists warn

Unpublished figures reveal a doubling of products in short supply over past two years

• ‘The worst I’ve known it’: the struggle to get vital medicines
• Analysis: why is UK being hit by medicine supply shortages?

An unprecedented medicines shortage in the NHS is endangering lives, pharmacists have said, as unpublished figures reveal that the number of products in short supply has doubled in two years.

A treatment for controlling epileptic seizures was the latest to be added on Wednesday to a UK drugs shortage list that includes treatments for conditions ranging from cancer to schizophrenia and type 2 diabetes.