What is Syndol Original 10 Tablets, and is it still available in the UK in 2024?

In this article, we'll discuss why you might not easily find Syndol 10 tablets in pharmacies at the moment and why many consider this product to be discontinued.

However, this is not true. The product has been back on the market since the second half of 2024:

Syndol 10 Tablets

But first, let's talk about Syndol 10 tablets.

What are Syndol tablets?

Syndol 10 tablets are short-term pain relief tablets. They treat headaches, including muscle contraction or tension headaches, making them especially effective for relief from migraines, neuralgia, and period pain. They are particularly useful in cases where paracetamol, ibuprofen, or aspirin alone has not worked.

Syndol is what’s called a Pharmacy medication, meaning you can only buy this medication after a pharmacist ensures it is the right choice for you, that you haven’t taken it too recently, and that it won’t interact with any other medication you might be taking.

What is the difference between Syndol Original 10 Tablets and Syndol Headache Relief 30 Tablets?

There are two different types of Syndol tablets. Syndol Headache Relief 30 tablets are sometimes thought to be just a different pack size of Syndol Original tablets. However, reviewing the patient information leaflets for the two products, we can see that they differ slightly in their active ingredients.

Syndol Original contains Doxylamine Succinate, an antihistamine included for its muscle relaxant and sedative properties. In the context of Syndol, this molecule is intended to help with tension headaches by relaxing muscles and promoting rest, rather than for its common use in allergy or cold treatments.

We can also see in the patient information leaflets that Syndol Original tablets contain a slightly higher amount of Codeine Phosphate (10 mg vs. 8 mg in Syndol Headache Relief) and a slightly lower amount of Paracetamol (450 mg vs. 500 mg in Syndol Headache Relief).

What happened to Syndol Original tablets?

In the first half of 2023, Syndol disappeared from the UK market, with some sellers labelling the product as discontinued. So why did Syndol Original tablets go out of stock in 2023?

The product was previously manufactured and supplied by Opella Healthcare (Sanofi CHC), but the production stopped when it was bought by Dendron Brands Ltd. At this time, the product had largely run out of stock in the UK market.

Dendron Brands Ltd. took over ownership of the brand in February 2023 and began distribution in August 2023.

As with any brand transfer, it took some time to get the supply back up and running, which is why we are only now seeing this product return to the market in 2024.

This is not the first time Syndol Original tablets disappeared from the UK market, which may have led people to believe the product was discontinued. Back in 2019, Sanofi brought Syndol back to the market after a five-year absence. That market shortage was also preceded by the licensing rights to the Syndol brand changing hands, from Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC to Sanofi CHC. These types of transactions tend to have a long-term effect on the product's supply.

Are Syndol Original Pain Relief 10 tablets discontinued in 2024?

No, they are not discontinued. Syndol Original 10 tablets are still available in the UK.

The previous lack of stock with resellers was just a result of the supply being cut before and during the brand’s transfer to a new producer. Syndol Original is currently returning to the market and can once again be purchased. For example, medino now stocks Syndol Original 10 tablets.

[1] Syndol Original 10 tablets patient information leaflet
[2] Syndol Headache Relief 30 tablets patient information leaflet
[3] About Doxylamine Succinate
[4] Citeline on the previous 2019 return of Syndol

Written by Henrik Blomkvist
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