In an informative circular, the National Medicines and Health Products Authority (Infarmed) states that “medicines containing propranolol (Inderal, coated tablet, 10 and 40 mg) are out of stock”, and it is expected that this will continue until the beginning of 2023.

In view of this situation, Infarmed recommends that doctors, whenever possible, prescribe therapeutic alternatives to this drug, which is “an antihypertensive drug belonging to the class of non-selective cardiac beta blockers”.

It also says that it is analysing the possibility of using medicines labelled in a foreign language.

“In order to guarantee access to the medicine for patients who do not have alternatives, and while it is not possible to use the medicines in a foreign language, hospitals and pharmacies will be able to purchase this medicine through the exceptional use authorisation mechanism”, stresses Infarmed.

It also mentions that the company responsible for marketing this medicine - Atnahs Pharma Netherlands B.V. – is making efforts to bring forward the date of replacement of the drug used to control hypertension.