Pharmacists who provide Prenoxad 1mg/ml injection kits should “visually check for the presence of two needles” in any kits they provide, the MHRA has said.

In a statement yesterday, the medicines regulator said reports from France suggest a “small number” of the kits “may be missing needles,” although no such cases have yet been identified in the UK.

Patients, carers and healthcare professionals who provide the emergency opioid overdose kits should check them “by holding the front of the sealed kit against a light source to confirm that there are two needles inside their kit,” it said.

Any kits without two needles “should be returned and replaced,” it said, adding: “If it is not possible to confirm the presence of two needle packets visually, holders of Prenoxad Injection can open their kits without touching the pre-filled syringe (the tube with liquid in) to confirm there are two needles inside each kit. 

“Once the check is completed, the kit must be carefully closed to ensure the contents stay secure.”

The MHRA has also asked healthcare professionals, service providers and local teams to contact people who have been supplied injection kits to check for missing needles and arrange replacements if needed.

MHRA chief safety officer Dr Alison Cave said: “Patient safety is always our priority. It is vitally important that you visually check the contents of your Prenoxad Injection kit and if there are fewer than two needles, you should return your kit and obtain a replacement.

“If you have been given a kit of this medicine since 27 March 2020 and are unsure how many needles it contains, please seek advice from the healthcare professional or service provider who supplied this kit.

“If needed, your healthcare professional or service provider will give you a replacement kit or refer you to their nearest supplier.

"This will usually be a drug treatment service, a community pharmacy, a needle and syringe programme, a peer support group, or a drugs outreach worker.

“We have taken prompt action to ensure kits with missing needles will no longer be given to patients. There are no concerns about the medicine in these kits and other products containing naloxone have not been affected by this manufacturing error. Please report any issues with your Prenoxad Injection kit via the Yellow Card scheme website.”