A packaging fault at Heraeus Medical has halted production of their bone cement products, leading to an expected minimum two month supply disruption.
An incident team is in place, and we are working with Heraeus, alternative suppliers, DHSC, and NHS England to manage the issue nationally.
Trusts are asked not to contact suppliers directly at this stage, as this is being coordinated nationally. Cold chain requirements prevent stock from being held in our warehouses, so alternative suppliers are being asked to apply demand management. Priority use will follow NHS England pathway guidance, particularly for trauma care.
Update – 19 February 2026
National guidance for clinicians on how to handle the impact of the supply disruption has been issued jointly by the NHS England National Clinical Directors and the British Orthopaedic Association and is available to download on our website.
Next steps
Trusts and ICBs should follow the national guidance issued by NHS England and the British Orthopaedic Association to support local decision making and the national stock position.
Review the product listing in our downloads section which has further information on the impacted products.
Check our ICN regularly for further updates.
If you have any questions, please speak to your customer service advisor or your ICS Manager for further support.
For further information CLICK HERE
Date: 19 February