The Association of British Independent Pharmacies has warned that stocks of some essential medicines have fallen to a critical level.
Britain imports three-quarters of the drugs it needs, and the war in the Middle East and restrictions on traffic in the Strait of Hormuz have put a lot of pressure on supply chains.
Even the production of drugs that the UK imports from the EU requires raw materials that are often supplied from India and China.
Blood pressure drugs such as propranolol, pain relievers for cancer patients and anti-cholesterol drugs are among the drugs that have been warned about their shortage.
Leila Henbeck, the head of the independent union of British pharmacies, told the "Telegraph" newspaper that the war in the Middle East added to the rise in prices and financial pressures:
"The war in Iran and the uncertainty regarding shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz have added to the existing concerns regarding the drug supply chain... In many cases, the pharmacies are forced to prepare their medicines at a loss, which puts additional pressure on them." The British Association of Independent Pharmacies represents 5,000 pharmacies in England and Wales.
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