NHS Faces Critical Shortage of Life-Saving Epilepsy Drug

Hundreds of thousands of individuals in the UK are facing a potential lack of essential epilepsy medication due to a critical drug shortage. The government has acknowledged the situation, issuing a shortage notice for midazolam, a vital rescue medication for prolonged seizures. Specific strengths of the oral solution pre-filled syringes are anticipated to be unavailable until late May.

This scarcity is particularly concerning as Epilepsy Research Institute UK reports that approximately 633,000 people live with epilepsy, with 30% experiencing uncontrolled seizures. Pharmacy leaders express increasing worry, attributing supply disruptions to global issues, including those stemming from the Strait of Hormuz. The availability of crucial medications for epilepsy, blood pressure, and even cancer is reportedly being affected.

The implications are severe, as midazolam is vital for treating acute seizures in both adults and children, sometimes without easily substitutable alternatives. The situation is compounded by an incident where a 58-year-old man died in October 2025, with a coroner linking his death to a lack of his epilepsy medication. Health experts warn that if Middle East conflicts are not resolved, the NHS could face further shortages of common and vital cancer drugs as early as June 2026.