Royal College of Psychiatrists. (2026) Switching from chlordiazepoxide for the management of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. London: Royal College of Psychiatrists.
External website: https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/improving-care/guidance-...
This guidance is in response to the recent DHSC Medicine Supply Notification (PDF) (March 2026) summarising the shortage of chlordiazepoxide in the UK. It is uncertain how long this shortage will last, and how the market will respond to it.
The aim of this document is to highlight some of questions that teams and organisations will need to consider when deciding if they need to change to an alternative regime for the management of alcohol withdrawal, in either the short or long term. For guidance on the clinical management of people with alcohol use disorders please consult the UK Clinical guidelines for alcohol treatment (chapters 10-12 and 16).
B Substances > New (novel) psychoactive substances > Benzodiazepines
G Health and disease > Substance use disorder (addiction) > Alcohol use disorder
G Health and disease > Substance use disorder (addiction) > Alcohol use disorder > Alcohol withdrawal / craving
HJ Treatment or recovery method > Substance disorder treatment method > Substance disorder drug therapy (pharmacological treatment)
J Health care, prevention, harm reduction and treatment > Patient / client care management
J Health care, prevention, harm reduction and treatment > Treatment and maintenance > Treatment factors
VA Geographic area > Europe > United Kingdom or Great Britain
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