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Prescribing Advice for GPs

An NHS Prescribing Advisers' Blog

Rupatadine discontinued

The product license holder of rupatadine (Rupafin®) has written to healthcare professionals advising that with effect from the 31st March 2015 this medicine will be effectively discontinued in the UK.

An agreement between the license holder and a UK based distributor has come to an end and a new distributor is not being sought. It is estimated that supplies would be exhausted by the end of March 2015. As such alternative treatment options will need to be considered.

Action: Clinicians should be aware of the product being discontinued. It may be prudent to run clinical system searches to identify any patients who are currently prescribed this product to allow an alternative to be arranged.

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17 Comments to “Rupatadine discontinued”

  1. Does anyone have experience of using higher doses of rupatadine especially in the context of mast cell activation syndrome and long covid? The BNF says 10mg daily but I know that the dosage of other non-sedating antihistamines may be increased two to four times the typical dose when symptoms are not controlled. Thank you.

    Comment by Graham — February 20, 2024 #
    Reply

    1. @Graham,

      Like you I have seen antihistamines like loratadine and cetirizine used at two to four times the manufacturers dose from immunology and allergy clinic specialists. As rupatadine was never used widely in the UK I cannot recall ever seeing use levels above 10mg daily and even that dose very rarely.

      Comment by Matthew Robinson — February 20, 2024 #
      Reply

  2. I have just been prescribed Rupatall and bought 100 tablets 10mg. It cost me €22.07 (Euros). It was subsidised by my Belgian sick insurance. I guess it's available in France as well.

    Comment by sewad — September 1, 2016 #
    Reply

  3. Hi guys, the alternative to rupatadine for me has been to go onto montelukast (which is for asthma or rhinitis). I did a lot of research and spoke to my GP and an allergy Doctor. Maybe you should speak to your doctors about this too. Also then take anti-histamine because montelukast does not contain any. I hope you get relief! 🙂

    Comment by gez — September 19, 2015 #
    Reply

  4. You can buy ruptadine on the internet at pharmacy2u £8 for 30 tablets. You need a prescription. Do you think this would be safe?

    Comment by A Beamish — July 27, 2015 #
    Reply

    1. @A Beamish,

      Pharmacy2u are a UK registered pharmacy business so the tablets they provide should be fine.

      Comment by Matthew Robinson — July 27, 2015 #
      Reply

  5. I got rupatidine prescribed to me by a private allergy doctor in London.
    The consultation is extremely costly around 190 pounds. And then he prescribed be a one year prescription, which I have to pay for too.
    But since my urticaria is chronic, it was a worthwhile investment to me.

    Comment by Julia — June 5, 2015 #
    Reply

  6. I am in the same boat - after 3yrs I found an antihistamine that helped with chronic urticaria. Now I am left having to take ones I had previously stopped because of the side effects. My GP didn't even know that rupatadine had been discontinued. I may resort to buying it online.

    Comment by Nigel — May 25, 2015 #
    Reply

  7. I have suffered from night time hives for a prolonged period. The only release from its unpleasant and unyielding itching was rupatadine originally prescribed by a consultant dermatologist and which immediately released me from all symptoms. It is now creeping back after 3 days without this remedy and I am dreading the future.

    Comment by Nick — May 18, 2015 #
    Reply

  8. This is the only medication which helps my daughter's chronic idiopathic urticaria. It is the only medication incorporating a PAF and so all the other antihistamines have no effect whatsoever. What alternatives do we have? We have had bad experiences with Prednisolone, this is very upsetting and has brought on stress hives as we have been unable to obtain another prescription.

    Comment by Debbie — May 14, 2015 #
    Reply

    1. @Debbie

      I am not aware of any other antihistamine that is known to have any action on PAF. If your daughter has already tried most / all of the other antihistamines she should see her GP or dermatologist if she is already under specialist care.

      Comment by Matthew Robinson — May 14, 2015 #
      Reply

      1. Thank you Mathew, she has been referred to the Guy's and St Thomas Urticaria Clinic but there is a long waiting time and this medication just helps until she gets there. This is very distressing and has a great impact on her life. We have identified some food triggers and stress is implicated, she is a sporty person but the heat and sweat brings her out in hives. I am considering Homeopathy. Do you know anything about it? Thanks.

        Comment by Debbie — May 14, 2015 #
        Reply

        1. @Debbie

          I don't personally believe that homeopathy works but there are people who do. It's a personal choice for you to make.

          Comment by Matthew Robinson — June 7, 2015 #
          Reply

  9. Just wondered WHY rupatadine is being withdrawn.....undesirable side effects or for economic reasons? I started on rupatadine almost two years ago for severe & chronic urticaria & tolerated it (& desloratadine) much better than ceterizine or fexofenadine.

    Comment by Una Macleod — May 6, 2015 #
    Reply

    1. @Una

      It does seem to be for underlying economic reasons. The patent owner is not going to negotiate a contract renewal or find a new distributor in the UK after the last contract expired. Perhaps sales overall are not high enough in the UK to warrant this happening - this is my speculation however.

      Comment by Matthew Robinson — June 7, 2015 #
      Reply

  10. What is the alternative? I have used this on and off for years and it is the only medication that gives me relief?
    Kind regards,
    Carol

    Comment by Carol Duncan — April 14, 2015 #
    Reply

    1. @Carol
      Cetirizine, loratadine and fexofenadine are all options. Desloratadine and levocetirizine are also possibilities but perhaps don't offer any great advantages over loratadine and cetirizine respectively.

      Comment by Matthew Robinson — April 14, 2015 #
      Reply

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