Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to ensure patients have access to Concerta XL.

The Department has been working hard with industry to help resolve supply issues with some attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medicines, including Concerta XL tablets, which are affecting the United Kingdom and other countries around the world. This has involved asking that suppliers expedite deliveries to boost supplies of these important medicines, and addressing regulatory issues to ensure continuity of supply. As a result of our ongoing activity and intensive work, some issues have been resolved. We expect the disruptions to the supply of Concerta XL tablets to be resolved in May 2024.

The Department held a roundtable with all suppliers of methylphenidate prolonged-release tablet suppliers, including Janssen, in April 2024, to discuss the challenges they are facing, what they are doing, and what needs to be done to address these issues.

We have worked closely with specialist clinicians during this time to develop management advice for the National Health Service. The guidance includes advice for ADHD service providers and specialists to offer rapid response to primary care teams seeking urgent advice for the management of patients. This includes those known to be at a higher risk of adverse impact because of these shortages.