Drug Availability
HPS Pharmacies wish to give notice that Pfizer is experiencing a supply interruption for morphine tartrate ampoules as follows:
DBL™ Morphine Tartrate
Morphine tartrate 120mg/1.5mL
ARTG 16324
This is a long-term supply interruption that is expected to continue into 2020. While supplies are constrained, judicious use is recommended to reserve stock for cases with no therapeutic alternative.
Morphine sulfate or morphine hydrochloride may be considered as alternatives. The following comparison table may be used to aid clinical decision making. The relevant product information should be reviewed for further information.
| DBL™ Morphine Tartrate injection | DBL™ Morphine sulfate Injection | Juno Morphine hydrochloride | |
| Approved indication | Symptomatic relief of severe and intractable pains of various categories, in terminal cancer patients. | Relief of moderate to severe pain not responsive to non-opioid analgesics. It may also be used as a pre-operative medication and as an analgesic adjunct in general anaesthesia. | Relief of moderate to severe pain not responsive to non-opioid analgesics; symptomatic relief of severe and intractable pain; terminal cancer pain; and as a pre-operative medication and analgesic adjunct in general anaesthesia |
| Composition | Morphine tartrate trihydrate, sodium metabisulphite 1 mg/mL in water for injections. The pH of the solution is 4.0-5.0. | Isotonic, morphine sulfate pentahydrate and sodium chloride in water for injections. Hydrochloric acid (1N) is used to adjust the pH to 3.2-4.0. | Morphine hydrochloride in water for injections. The pH of the solution is 3.0-5.0. Hydrochloric acid (0.1N) is used to adjust the pH of the solution. |
| Dose equivalence | Morphine tartrate contains almost an equivalent amount of morphine base per milligram as morphine sulfate and morphine hydrochloride. Therefore, the preparations may be used interchangeably. | ||
| Approved route of administration | Subcutaneous, intramuscular and slow intravenous administration | Subcutaneous, intramuscular and intravenous administration | Subcutaneous, intramuscular or slow intravenous injection. |
| Strengths | 120mg/1.5mL
400mg/5mL |
5mg/1mL
10mg/1mL 15mg/1mL 30mg/1mL |
10mg/1mL
50mg/5mL 20mg/1mL 100mg/5mL |
Retain this notice in a prominent position, including in other related business units until supplies return to normal. Report any problems identified with medicines, vaccines or medical devices to the TGA.
Should you require further information regarding this matter, please contact Pfizer on 1800 675 229, or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.
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