Patients told to reduce dosage of co-codamol due to national shortage
Some patients have been told to start preparing to come off the medicine immediately due to the national shortage.
Supplies of prescription-strength co-codamol will be limited in Scotland until the summer.
Some health boards are now telling patients to immediately reduce their dosage of the painkiller as there will not be enough to meet demand.
There is a UK-wide shortage of the 30mg/500mg dosage of the painkiller due to the Indian government delaying the authorisation to import the necessary ingredients.
The Scottish Government has now confirmed the drug will be limited until June and alternative treatment options will be offered to those affected.
However, health boards warn that none of the alternative medicines can sustain the demand that is expected from the co-codamol shortage.
Co-codamol contains the opiate codeine and comes in three different strengths. The lowest strength can be purchased over-the-counter in pharmacies, but the stronger strengths need to be prescribed by a doctor.
Scottish patients are now being warned to gradually reduce their use of the painkiller as stopping altogether can cause withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, nausea and swearing, and can increase pain for some.
Some health boards have now issued warnings that there will not be enough of the medicine to go around, and patients should therefore start reducing their doses.
NHS Lanarkshire said: “There is a temporary national shortage of co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets. This means that there will be very limited supplies until at least the start of June 2026.
“There are other strengths of co-codamol tablets but there are not enough supplies of these to move everyone onto them.
“This is also the same for codeine tablets.
“This means your GP or pharmacist may not be able to give you your usual tablets during this time. Paracetamol 500mg tablets are fully available and there is enough to cover the increased demand.”
The warning added: “We are asking all patients (apart from patients who are having treatment for cancer) to start reducing the number of tablets they take.
“You should do this gradually over the next few weeks and then stop completely.
“If you are taking your co-codamol tablets every day, you need to start reducing your tablets now.”
It added no new patients will be started on this medication until the supply levels return to normal.
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