23 replies to this topic

[Maverick921]

Please help guys. Tretinoin has been discontinued in the UK

What can I use instead of? It's for some mild acne and acne scarring, and wrinkles. I really love tretinoin and Im gutted its gone.

I've found Tazorac on line but my GP and Chemist could not find it? Is it an american thing? Is differin any good?

[Maverick921]

Anyone????

[heyhey5566]

What? They've discontinued Retin-A in the UK? Thats insane!

[Maverick921]

Yes they have! The company behind are not making it anymore so I would guess there will be none in the USA either? Unless you have other companies selling retin a gel other than tretinoin brand?

[Green Gables]

Tretinoin has not been discontinued, however the particular formulation or brand you were using may have been. Your chemist may also not be very up to date on how to formulate a replacement...

Tretinoin comes under many different names:
Retrieve (common in Australia, I'd look into this first)
Renova
Tazorac
Atralin
Avita
Altinac
Retin A
Retin A Micro
Ziana (also contains clindamyacin)

You can also get Differin (generic name Adapalene) which is a synthetic retinoid that is not tretinoin but works similarly.

[Maverick921]

Well I've spoke to 6 chemists and 1 private derm and they all state it's been discontinued. There is also an article on the net about it if ypu google "retin a gel discontinued"

[Green Gables]

The only thing I could find from that search was that Janssen-Cilag discontinued Retin A in strengths of 0.01% and 0.025%. Probably because the patent on these formulations ran out so they're not making any money on those formulations anymore. If it is in demand, another company should be producing generic versions if they aren't already.

I don't know how it works in Europe exactly, but in the U.S. there are several different brands of tretinoin already available at those strengths. It appears in your country your access to specific formulations is more limited.
.

Retin-A (tretinoin) gel 0.01% and 0.025% has been discontinued by Janssen-Cilag. No stock remains of the 0.025% gel. Stocks of the 0.01% gel are expected to be exhausted in October 2012. Medical information on 01494 567444

Retin A gel was discontinued in Australia over 2 years ago. But obviously was still available in other areas. And they used the Retrieve cream to substitute there. See: http://www.essential...d.php?tid=38039

I have a Retin A Micro 0.04% script I just recently filled, so I know that one is still in production, at least in the U.S.

You may be able to buy your preferred formulation from an online pharmacy with a valid prescription. As long as your prescription is valid, there's nothing wrong with getting your tretinoin from an international pharmacy that still formulates it, assuming it can get through customs in your country.

[Maverick921]

I think Tretinoin is the only brand in the UK producing retin a unfortunately. Im hoping another firm will produce it and re-brand it, must be a money spinner for someone as it's in demand.

Failling that when my current gel runs out I will have my prescription changed to differin, seems to be the next best thing.

[Maverick921]

Can any UK members advise of other Retin A gels other than tretinoin?

[Maverick921]

Ok been on prescription tretinoin for over 12 months now, 0.25 percent, GP happy for me to be on it but it's been discontinued.

Can any UK users PM me a site that sell's Retin a on line and ships to the uk?

[plantpot]

I am in the UK and have today had my Retin-A gel prescription replaced with 'Duac' by the doctor. I really wanted another retinoid based treatment but apparantly none available - the DUAC is completely different - clindamycin/benzoyl based and I've already tried clindamycin before.

[plantpot]

looking online it seems that Aknemycin might be available in the UK - its an erythromycin/tretinoin combination, has anyone had a recent prescription for this?

[MARSBARS111]

made an account just to reply to this thread..
maverick you posted on the 12th i got my tretinoin 0.01 on the 18th so im certain the 0.01% gel is still around

@plantpot - i wanted to up my dosage of retin a, as 0.01 was weak so i asked for 0.025% which there was none of.
instead i got given aknemycin plus ,the reviews are mixed and to be honest im not sure what to do
this is the first night im to be using aknemycin

and your right its erythromycin/tretinoin but not a gel , its a solution . because of the erythromycin in it im guessing you cannot use it forever?
so i plan on taking it for the recommended time around 9-12 weeks and afterwards see if i can adjust back to 0.01 all dependant on how i react to the aknemycin in the upcoming weeks .

im pretty sure 0.01 in gel form is still around though

[plantpot]

Thank you for information - I still can't get the Retin-A - they told me at the doctors that perhaps some chemists had stock left - they phoned a few but no joy. They also said they have had quite a few of us in that week unhappy that there doesn;t seem to be anything similar, but I'm going to keep a lookout in case something else comes on the market.

I would be interested to see if the aknemycin is any good - but its a bit ridiculous us having to resort to antibiotics due to lack of choice when don't necessarily need to. I haven't dared try the Duac yet .....

[Seeking2012]

Wow. I had no idea they would do something like that to you guys over in the UK. Currently, it seems that your best bet is Aknemycin plus lotion.

Aknemycin plus lotion contains tretinoin in combination with an antibiotic called erythromycin.
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/skin-and-hair/medicines/retin-a-gel.html

[jillyjilly]

Yes it's true - Retin A has been discontinued and you can no longer get it in the UK. They at first discontinued the 0.025% strength and then they discontinued the 0.01% too. So Retin A is no more

I am gutted too, it was fantastic stuff and the only thing that helped my cystic acne.

I know some very expensive cosmetics claim to use Retin A, though it would be no good for acne as there can only be a miniscule amount of Retin A in the products, but someone somewhere must still be able to manafacture Retin A, surely?!

Can it be bought abroad does anyone know?

Or are there any other lotions/gels that have the Retin A ingredient?

Thanks in advance!

[plantpot]

I am going to request the Aknemycin - although I would prefer just plain retin-a without the antibiotics. I don't get on with erythromycin as an oral antibiotic which is why they probably gave me the Duac - but I'm desperate in case things get worse - and i'm not going to be swallowing it!

Edited by plantpot, 18 December 2012 - 03:38 PM.

[Sprew]

It's been discontinued but not made illegal or anything. Buy online at Amazon or anywhere else; http://www.amazon.co...x_ya_os_product

[grn93]

Hello! Is there an online pharmacy where I can buy original Retin-a gel without prescription, but if you can deliver to Bulgaria? Thank you!

[abjz622]

This is the WORST news ever. I tried so many different treatments (literally like 7 other creams) and it was the combination of the Tretinoin Gel and my current Oxytetracycline that have kept my skin clear (as well as reducing my Keratosis Pilaris) on my face for years. I'm really gutted as it took so long plus a referral to a Dermatologist to find the right treatment.

I have written to the GMC and MHRA asking why this is the case and whether anyone else is intending to manufacture it so I'll update this forum when I get the chance. I reckon the more other people kick up a fuss the better so it would be good if other people can perhaps make enquiries?

I think its fundamentally wrong that a drug company can just stop producing something without licensing another company to takeover...