FAQ’s
It is an unlicensed medicine that has been prescribed by a practitioner (doctor, dentist or vet) for the clinical need of a patient. These products do not have a license issued by Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and need to be specially manufactured. A medicine may be called a “Special” if:
- It is not commercially available in the strength and dosage form needed
- It is now a discontinued licensed medicine
- It is available but not excipient-free e.g preservative free, lactose or sugar free as needed
How long will it take before my order is delivered? ( Back to Top )
If your order is on our stock list we will deliver it the following day, provided the order has been placed with us by 5pm.
As most of our products are bespoke, and manufacture commences once the order is placed, we aim to deliver these within 1 to 2 working days.
Orders for any sterile products will normally be with you within 3 working days due to sterilisation and testing delays.
A same day courier service is available for emergency items.
Will I get reimbursed for the cost of a Special/my order? ( Back to Top )
The prescription needs to be endorsed by the dispensing pharmacist with the price of the item and any postage and packaging costs incurred. A copy of the delivery note or invoice should be attached as evidence when submitting the prescription to the NHS Business Services Authority. This ensures the price will be reimbursed and the pharmacy will not be out of pocket.
Where can I find out more about the use of unlicensed medicines in Pharmacy? ( Back to Top )
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) have a fact sheet on their website and it has the legal and ethical advice on the use of unlicensed medicines in pharmacy.
Do you supply ‘Specials’ for export? ( Back to Top )
Specials may be exported. However, the buyer needs to have the necessary licences and consent from applicable regulatory authorities. No products supplied to a buyer may be sold for use or consumption outside member states of the EEA (European Economic Area) without prior written consent from BCM Specials.
We hold licenses to manufacture and supply specials for the human and veterinary markets and to manufacture investigational medicinal products that have been issued to us by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. The Home Office have also issued us with licenses to handle controlled drugs.
Can you handle thermolabile / heat sensitive sterile products? ( Back to Top )
Our aseptic filling facility is designed to handle heat sensitive products. In addition, we have on-site monitored cold storage facilities and can offer an end-to-end cold chain supply solution for clinical trials materials or low volume commercial scale products.
Do you offer a stability testing service? ( Back to Top )
We have on-site stability testing laboratories that have full ICH compliant storage facilities.