Prescribed for allergic symptoms, this treatment could not be found in pharmacies next spring, according to its manufacturer.
“We are unable to communicate a normal delivery date.” While allergy sufferers are at peace at the moment (this is at least one of the advantages of rain), as soon as spring arrives, the pollen season will resume and with it the many exhausting symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Constantly running nose, itchy eyes, fatigue… For millions of French people with allergies, it has become impossible to get through these crises without medication. However, a flagship treatment could be “out of stock in May 2026”alerts its manufacturer.
According to the Medicines Agency (ANSM), the Bristol-Myers Squibb laboratory informed health professionals, on February 17, 2026, of supply tensions concerning this corticosteroid drug widely used in France, due to a “production delay”. Consequently, a quantitative quota for this treatment is put in place in the city from February. This means that the quantities of the drug placed on the market are now voluntarily limited and distributed in a controlled manner. Pharmacies will receive fewer in order to avoid a sudden shortage of stocks and better distribute the doses available throughout the country. According to the laboratory, these volumes correspond to the needs of the national market for the next three months.
If production does not restart, the drug will be completely out of stock during May in the city, and towards the end of May in the hospital. This treatment is Kenacort Retard® 40 mg/1 ml. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory that acts against allergic reactions and reduces excessive immune reactions. It is prescribed in the manifestations of seasonal allergic rhinitis after failure of other therapies, in certain severe dermatological conditions and in certain rheumatological diseases (inflammatory arthritis, severe osteoarthritis, etc.). It is called “Retard” because this medication is sustained release. After injection, it acts gradually over a prolonged period of time, sometimes several weeks.
If Kenacort Retard® is unavailable, several injectable corticosteroids can be considered as alternatives, including betamethasone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone or even dexamethasone, recalls Bristol-Myers Squibb. These molecules belong to the same family of steroidal anti-inflammatories and have comparable effectiveness in reducing inflammation and modulating immune reactions. However, they do not all have the same pharmacological profile, particularly in terms of potency and duration of action.
Kenacort Retard® being a prolonged release form, its effect can extend over several weeks, which is not systematically the case with other specialties. The use of an alternative could therefore require an adjustment of doses or frequency of administration. Patients concerned are invited to consult their doctor in order to anticipate any adaptation of the treatment and to avoid a sudden therapeutic interruption.
