Date published: December 2025
DHSC has issued a National Patient Safety alert around the supply of licensed and unlicensed epidural infusion bags.
There are supply issues affecting epidural bags from Sandoz (licensed) and Fresenius Kabi (unlicensed) containing:
- bupivacaine only
- bupivacaine and fentanyl
- levobupivacine and fentanyl.
A range of alternative licensed and unlicensed bags (including unlicensed imports) are available during the affected period expected to last until at least March 2026, but the use of these products will require a co-ordinated trust wide approach to ensure safe implementation.
- Access the alert on the Central Alerting System
- View additional clinical guidance from the NHS, The Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) and The Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (APAGBI)