What is a Special?

‘Specials’ are unlicensed medicines which are prescribed because a patient needs a very specific formulation of a drug which isn’t available as a licensed medicine.

There are many different reasons why a licensed medicine might not be available. Often the formulation that would best meet the patient’s needs has not been commercially manufactured by any drug company in a licensed version. Sometimes the licensed product that may suit the patient’s needs has been discontinued temporarily. In these circumstances a Special will be prescribed. These Special prescriptions are dealt with in exactly the same way as any other prescription, except that the pharmacist dispensing the drug will have to take steps to fulfil the prescription in a different way. This can be either by formulating it themselves or, as most often happens, by contacting a pharmaceutical Specials manufacturer to make up the prescription.