Is co-codamol in shortage in the UK?

Yes. Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets are in limited supply from early February until early June 2026. This is a high-severity shortage. Co-codamol 30/500 capsules become available from mid-April 2026, and separate paracetamol 500mg tablets plus codeine 30mg tablets remain available as component alternatives.

Is paracetamol in shortage?

Standard paracetamol tablets and capsules are widely available and not in shortage. The only paracetamol products with active shortages are suppositories (120mg and 240mg), which are used primarily in hospitals and for patients who cannot swallow tablets. Paracetamol 500mg tablets can fully support increased demand.

What alternatives are there for co-codamol 30/500?

Your pharmacist or GP may suggest: (1) Taking paracetamol 500mg tablets and codeine 30mg tablets separately — same ingredients, same doses. (2) Co-codamol 30/500 capsules, available from mid-April 2026. (3) Co-codamol 30/500 effervescent tablets, though these cannot support large demand increases. (4) Co-dydramol 30/500 tablets as a partial alternative.

Is ibuprofen in shortage in the UK?

No. Ibuprofen is widely available in all forms (tablets, capsules, liquid, gel) and has no current DHSC shortage notifications. It can be purchased over the counter at pharmacies and supermarkets.

Is diclofenac in shortage?

Diclofenac oral tablets and topical gel are not in shortage. However, diclofenac ophthalmic eye drops (Voltarol Ophtha) are affected — both the preservative-free unit dose and the multidose versions are out of stock. This affects eye surgery patients rather than general pain management.

Pain Medication Shortage UK 2026

The biggest pain medication story in the UK right now is co-codamol. Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets — the most commonly prescribed strength — are in limited supply until June 2026. This is a high-severity shortage affecting millions of patients who rely on this combination painkiller for chronic and post-surgical pain. Paracetamol tablets remain fully available, and separate codeine 30mg tablets can be used alongside them as a workaround. This page tracks every pain medication currently affected by supply issues.

Quick Status: Common Pain Medications

Co-codamol 30/500 Paracetamol (suppositories) Diclofenac (eye drops) Codeine Ibuprofen Naproxen Tramadol Gabapentin Pregabalin

Current Active Shortages

Co-codamol 30mg/500mg Tablets — The Big One

Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets

High Severity DHSC MSN

Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets in limited supply from early February until early June 2026. Issued 12 January 2026.

Key facts (March 2026): The UK currently has 152 active medicine shortage notifications from official DHSC and NHS England data. Of these, 67 are DHSC Medicine Supply Notifications and 85 are NHS Serious Shortage Protocols. MediWatch tracks all of them in real time. See our data sources.

✅ Available alternatives:

Paracetamol 500mg tablets — fully available, can support complete demand uplift
Codeine 30mg tablets — available, can support partial demand (take with paracetamol)
Co-codamol 30/500 capsules — available from mid-April 2026, partial support
Co-codamol 30/500 effervescent tablets — available but limited capacity
Co-dydramol 30/500 and 20/500 tablets — available but limited capacity

Co-codamol 30/500 combines paracetamol 500mg with codeine 30mg in a single tablet. It's one of the UK's most prescribed painkillers, used for moderate pain that doesn't respond to paracetamol or ibuprofen alone. The shortage runs until June 2026, which means patients and pharmacies need to plan ahead.

The simplest workaround: take paracetamol 500mg tablets and codeine 30mg tablets separately. You get the exact same active ingredients at the same doses — the only difference is swallowing two tablets instead of one. Both remain widely available. Your pharmacist can arrange this under their existing prescription, or your GP can issue separate prescriptions for each component.

Paracetamol Suppositories

Paracetamol 120mg & 240mg suppositories

Serious Shortage NHSBSA SSP

Multiple SSPs active for paracetamol suppositories in 120mg and 240mg strengths. These are primarily used for children and patients who cannot take oral medication.

✅ Available: Paracetamol oral suspension (Calpol) for children, paracetamol tablets for adults, and paracetamol IV infusion (Perfalgan) for hospital use all remain available.

Paracetamol tablets are not in shortage. The supply issue affects only suppository forms, which are used in hospitals, for post-operative patients, and for young children who can't swallow tablets. If you take standard paracetamol tablets or capsules from the pharmacy, you are not affected by this shortage.

Diclofenac Eye Drops

Diclofenac (Voltarol Ophtha) 0.1% eye drops

Medium DHSC MSN

Both preservative-free unit dose and multidose Voltarol Ophtha eye drops are out of stock. Used after cataract surgery and for eye inflammation — not general pain relief.

✅ Available: Ketorolac 0.5% eye drops can support increased demand. Bromfenac and nepafenac eye drops also remain available.

This shortage affects ophthalmic (eye) use of diclofenac, not the tablets or gel used for musculoskeletal pain. Diclofenac tablets, dispersible tablets and topical gel (Voltarol) are all widely available and not affected by any shortage.

Drugs NOT Currently in Shortage

Good news — the vast majority of pain medications are fully available:

Paracetamol (tablets, capsules, liquid) — no shortage
Ibuprofen — available OTC and prescription, no issues
Naproxen — widely available
Codeine tablets — available (can support co-codamol workaround)
Tramadol — no current shortages
Gabapentin — widely available
Pregabalin — widely available
Diclofenac tablets/gel — no shortage (only eye drops affected)

Understanding Pain Medication Types

The WHO pain ladder provides a useful framework for understanding how different painkillers relate to each other:

Step 1 — Simple analgesics: Paracetamol, ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac. Available OTC for mild-moderate pain.
Step 2 — Weak opioids + paracetamol: Co-codamol (codeine + paracetamol), co-dydramol (dihydrocodeine + paracetamol). Prescription-only at higher strengths.
Step 3 — Strong opioids: Tramadol, morphine, oxycodone. Prescription-only for moderate-severe pain.
Neuropathic pain agents: Gabapentin, pregabalin, amitriptyline. For nerve-related pain conditions.

What to Do If Your Pain Medication Is Affected

If you can't get co-codamol 30/500: Ask your pharmacist about taking paracetamol and codeine separately. Same ingredients, same effect.
Don't increase doses of available painkillers to compensate for a missing one. This risks overdose — particularly with paracetamol (max 4g/day).
Ask your GP about alternatives. There are many effective pain management options. Your GP can suggest the best alternative for your specific condition.
Try your pharmacy first. Pharmacists can often source alternatives faster than waiting for a GP appointment.
Order repeat prescriptions early. Give your pharmacy at least 7 working days to source stock, especially for controlled drugs like codeine.
Consider non-medication approaches alongside your medicines: TENS machines, heat/cold therapy, gentle exercise and physiotherapy can all help manage pain.

A Note on Over-the-Counter Painkillers

Lower-strength co-codamol (8/500 and 15/500) is available over the counter from pharmacies. However, these are not interchangeable with the prescription-only 30/500 strength. If your GP has prescribed 30/500, the OTC versions won't provide the same level of pain relief. Do not take more OTC co-codamol tablets to try to match the prescription dose — this will give you too much paracetamol.

If you take OTC painkillers regularly and find yourself running out, speak to your pharmacist. Persistent pain that requires regular painkillers should be reviewed by your GP.

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Data sources: DHSC Medicine Supply Notifications · NHSBSA Serious Shortage Protocols · British Pain Society
This page is updated when new shortage data is published. Last checked: 4 March 2026.