# If your pharmacy cannot supply your medicine

Source: https://medcannaindex.com/guides/if-your-pharmacy-cannot-supply

First ask the pharmacy when it expects stock and whether it can supply part of your prescription now. If the wait is too long, find a pharmacy that has it and ask your clinic to send the prescription there; a prescription for a controlled drug is valid for 28 days. If nobody has it, ask your prescriber about another product, and do not change or stop your medicine on your own.

What to do when your product is out of stock, in the order that usually gets it sorted fastest.

The short version

- Ask the pharmacy when it expects stock. A short wait may be the quickest answer.

- If the wait is too long, find a pharmacy that has it and ask your clinic to send the prescription there.

- If nobody has it, speak to your prescriber about another product. Do not change or stop your medicine on your own.

1. Ask the pharmacy two questions

- When do you expect it back in stock?

- Can you supply part of my prescription now and the rest later?

2. See who else has it

Open the Stock Finder and search for your product. It shows where patients and pharmacies have reported it in stock in the last 14 days, and what patients paid. Reports are not checked by us, so phone the pharmacy to confirm before you move anything.

3. Ask your clinic to move the prescription

A pharmacy can only dispense a prescription it has been sent. In the Stock Finder, choose your clinic and press "Request script relocation" next to the pharmacy you want. It writes the email to your clinic for you. Some clinics charge for this, shown as "External Pharmacy Fee" or "Prescription Rewrite/Cancellation Fee" in the price list on the clinic's page.

4. Mind the 28 days

A prescription for a medical cannabis product is a controlled drug prescription, and those are valid for 28 days from the date on them. If stock is not expected within that time, tell your clinic early so it can act before the prescription runs out.

5. If nobody has it

Ask your prescriber whether another product would be suitable. Each product page here has a "Similar products" section showing the closest matches on type, strength and terpenes, and where they have been reported in stock. That is a comparison of what is on the label, which you can take to the conversation. The decision is your prescriber's, and a different product needs a new prescription.

6. Look after yourself in the meantime

- Do not change your dose to make it last, and do not stop suddenly, without speaking to your clinic first.

- If you run out and feel unwell, contact your clinic. If you cannot reach it, contact your GP or NHS 111.

Next time

On a product's page, "Email me about this product" sets an alert for when it is reported back in stock. If you keep your products on My medication, you can see stock at your own pharmacy in one place.
Sources
Checked on 5 October 2026. Laws and official guidance change, so read the source before you rely on anything here.
- Community Pharmacy England: Dispensing controlled drugs (28-day validity)
- The Misuse of Drugs (Amendments) (Cannabis and Licence Fees) Regulations 2018 (legislation.gov.uk)

From MedCannaIndex. Fees and product details are as recorded there and should be confirmed with the clinic or pharmacy. This is not medical advice: which product is suitable, and how much, is for the prescribing specialist.