Following representations from Community Pharmacy England, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has re-determined that the following products will be granted special container status from 1 September 2025.

Generic drug name (dm+d descriptor) Brand and/or Manufacturer Pack size Special container
Simeticone 42mg/5ml oral drops
Dentinox® Infant colic drops (Dendron Brands Ltd)
 100 ml Complete pack
Tranylcypromine 10mg tablets
 Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Europe Ltd 28 tablets Complete pack
Dexamethasone 0.1% eye drops 0.3ml unit dose preservative free
 Kent Pharma (UK) Ltd 20 unit dose (4 x 5) Sub-pack of 5
Dexamethasone 0.1% eye drops 0.3ml unit dose preservative free Kent Pharma (UK) Ltd 30 unit dose (6 x 5) Sub-pack of 5
Ethinylestradiol 30microgram / Desogestrel 150microgram tablets
Cimizt® 30microgram/150microgram tablets (Morningside Healthcare Ltd)
 63 tablets Sub-pack of 21
Sucroferric oxyhydroxide (iron 500mg) chewable tablets
Velphoro® 500mg chewable tablets (Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma UK Ltd)
 90 tablets Complete pack
Magnesium sulfate powder
 Care Epsom Salts (Thornton & Ross Ltd) 300 grams Complete pack
Desogestrel 75microgram tablets
 Cerelle® 75microgram tablets (Gedeon Richter (UK) Ltd) 84 tablets Sub-pack of 28
Ethinylestradiol 20microgram / Drospirenone 3mg tablets
Eloine® 0.02mg/3mg tablets (Bayer Plc)
 84 tablets Sub-pack of 28

These changes to the special container status of products are in accordance with the special container criteria outlined in Part II Clause 10B of the Drug Tariff and the Original Pack Dispensing (OPD) exceptions outlined in the Human Medicines Regulations (HMR). The three HMR exceptions include:

  • medicines in a form that makes it not practicable to dispense in the exact quantity ordered;
  • medicines in a container that has an integral means of application or from which it is not practicable to dispense an exact quantity;
  • medicines that cannot be dispensed in the quantity ordered without adversely affecting the medicine

Special container status is granted if a product meets one or more of the three HMR OPD exceptions listed above (i.e. the OPD +/-10% rules do not apply to special containers). For special containers, pharmacy owners can supply and will be reimbursed for the nearest pack size (complete pack or sub pack) or combination of containers nearest to the quantity ordered).

For a list of all the monthly changes to the special container status of products, please see the following page: Notice of changes to special container status of products.

More information on dispensing special containers can be found on our webpage, Special containers and products requiring reconstitution.

Where a product meets the special container criteria as set out in the Drug Tariff or the HMRs, a special container indicator for the relevant pack size (complete pack or sub-pack) is applied to the respective product entries in the dm+d and in the Drug Tariff, where listed.

If you identify any particular product(s) that are not currently classed as special containers but you believe fulfils at least one of the three HMR OPD exceptions above or satisfies any of the special container criteria outlined in Part II Clause 10B of the Drug Tariff, please notify Community Pharmacy England’s Dispensing and Supply Team (0203 1220 810 or ds.team@cpe.org.uk). The team will investigate and assess if the requested product(s) meet the relevant criteria. Where appropriate, Community Pharmacy England will make an application to the NHSBSA and DHSC seeking the special container status of the product(s) to be re-determined.

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