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<p>The Essential Medicines Buffer Stock (EMBS) programme formally ended in 2019/2020.
A small number of products were, however, retained in the EMBS to March 2022 as part
of the COVID-19 Supportive Medicines stockpile. There are no plans to reinstate the
EMBS.</p><p>We are taking decisive action to address temporary supply issues with
some antibiotics that can be used to treat Strep A and to improve access to these
medicines by continuing to work with manufacturers and wholesalers to speed up deliveries,
bring forward stock they have to help ensure it gets to where it is needed and to
boost supply to meet demand as quickly as possible.</p><p>Further, Serious Shortage
Protocols have been issued across the United Kingdom for penicillin medicines, which
will help mitigate local supply issues and allow pharmacists to supply alternative
forms of the medicine, or alternative antibiotics, if they don’t have the specific
product stated on the prescription.</p>
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