Availability of Mirena®

HPS Pharmacies wish to advise that Bayer Australia is experiencing a supply interruption for Mirena® as follows:

Mirena® IUD
Levonorgestrel 52mg
ARTG 73027

Normal supplies of Mirena® are expected to resume by early September 2023.

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 Bayer Australia on 1800 008 757, or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.

Download PDF

Availability of Lidocaine Ampoules

HPS Pharmacies wish to advise that Pfizer is experiencing a supply interruption for lidocaine ampoules as follows:

Lignocaine Injection
Lidocaine (lignocaine) HCl 1% (50mg/5mL)
ARTG 49296

Lignocaine Injection
Lidocaine (lignocaine) HCl 2% (100mg/5mL)
ARTG 49293

Normal supplies of Pfizer Lignocaine Injection 1% are expected to return in early September 2023, with supplies of Pfizer Lignocaine Injection 2% expected to return by early October 2023.

Limited supplies of alternative products are available, including Lidocaine-Baxter 1% 5mL, Lidocaine Noridem 1% 5mL, and Lidocaine Juno 2% 5mL. The approved indications may vary between brands. Please consult the product information for further details.

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 (08) 93620666, or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.

Download PDF

Availability of Nizatidine

Further to DrugAlert volume 872, HPS Pharmacies wish to give notice that all manufacturers are continuing to experience a supply interruption for nizatidine capsules as follows:

Product ARTG Expected date of return
Nizac® 150mg 284129 Late October 2023
Tacidine® 150mg 94204 End July 2023
Tazac® 150mg 284130 Mid-December 2023
Nizac® 300mg 96963 Late October 2023
Tacidine® 300mg 94205 Mid-August 2023
Tazac® 300mg 49326 Late October 2023

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 your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.

Download PDF

Drug Recall for Sabril®

HPS Pharmacies wish to give notice that Sanofi-Aventis Australia, in consultation with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), has initiated a drug recall for Sabril® as follows:

Sabril® Tablets
Vigabatrin 500mg
ARTG 150021

Sabril® Powder
Vigabatrin 500mg
ARTG 52985

 The only batches affected by this recall are:

  • Sabril® tablets – Batch 2007A (expiry Nov 2025)
  • Sabril® powder – Batch 2028C (expiry Mar 2025)

This drug recall is being undertaken as a precautionary measure following detection of an impurity that is a non-compliance to the product registration.

Please inspect your stock and quarantine all affected products. If HPS Pharmacies provide imprest management services to your facility, an HPS representative will inspect all stock stored in the designated imprest areas at the earliest opportunity. All affected products will be quarantined for return to the supplier, and HPS Pharmacies will arrange for replacement stock as soon as possible. An HPS Pharmacies staff member will contact senior medical and nursing staff if there is an immediate impact to your facility.

Availability:

This recall has led to a supply interruption for Sabril® tablets and powder. Normal supplies of Sabril® tablets are expected to return in early August 2023; supplies of Sabril® powder are expected to return by mid-late September 2023.

During this supply interruption, Sanofi has a small amount of the 500mg powder oral sachets  that will remain available for emergency supply for the treatment of infantile spasms (West Syndrome). To request access, please contact Sanofi Medical Information on 1800 818 806.

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 Sanofi-Aventis Australia on 1800 640 791 or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.

Download PDF

Discontinuation of Ordine® Oral Solution

Further to DrugAlert volume 884, HPS Pharmacies wish to provide an update on the anticipated availability of Ordine® Oral Solution following the announcement of its discontinuation.

Product Run out month Expiry date
Ordine® 1mg/mL December 2023 31st March 2024
Ordine® 2mg/mL February 2024 31st July 2024
Ordine® 5mg/mL March 2024 31st July 2024
Ordine® 10mg/mL March 2024 31st July 2024

It is expected that all wholesale supplies of Ordine® Oral Solution will be exhausted by April 2024.

Retain this notice in a prominent position, including in other related business units for one month. Report any problems identified with medicines, vaccines or medical devices to the TGA.

Should you require further information regarding this matter, please contact Mundipharma on 1800 188 009 or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.

Download PDF

Discontinuation of Ordine® Oral Solution

HPS Pharmacies wish to advise that Mundipharma plans to discontinue Ordine® Oral Solution as follows:

Ordine® Oral Solution
Morphine hydrochloride trihydrate 1mg/mL
ARTG 150219

 Ordine® Oral Solution
Morphine hydrochloride trihydrate 2mg/mL
ARTG 150220

 Ordine® Oral Solution
Morphine hydrochloride trihydrate 5mg/mL
ARTG 150221

 Ordine® Oral Solution
Morphine hydrochloride trihydrate 10mg/mL
ARTG 150222 

The third-party manufacturer has decided to cease production of all Ordine® strengths due to commercial viability, with Mundipharma unable to source a substitute. Ordine® oral solution will cease to be available from early 2024.

Retain this notice in a prominent position, including in other related business units for one month. Report any problems identified with medicines, vaccines or medical devices to the TGA.

Should you require further information regarding this matter, please contact Mundipharma on 1800 188 009 or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.

Download PDF

Discontinuation of Capoten® Oral Liquid

HPS Pharmacies wish to advise that Arrow Pharma is discontinuing Capoten® Oral Liquid as follows:

Capoten® Oral Liquid
Captopril 5mg/mL
ARTG 68962

Capoten® Oral Liquid may still be available in some warehouses until current supplies are exhausted.

An internationally registered alternative has been approved for supply under Section 19A of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 until 30 April 2024. This product is identical to the Australian registered product for active ingredient and strength. However, there are some presentation differences, as shown in the table below.

  Capoten® S19A Product
Administration Give on empty stomach Give without regards to meals
Storage Refrigerate (2°C to 8°C) Do not store above 30°C
Expiry Discard 28 days after opening Discard 21 days after opening
Excipients Citric acid

Disodium edetate

Hydrochloric acid

Purified water

Sodium benzoate

Sodium citrate dihydrate

Sodium hydroxide

Sodium benzoate (E211)

Citric acid monohydrate (E330)

Sodium citrate (E331)

Disodium edetate

Purified water

Retain this notice in a prominent position, including in other related business units for one month. Report any problems identified with medicines, vaccines or medical devices to the TGA.

Should you require further information regarding this matter, please contact Arrow Pharma on 1800 195 055 or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.

Download PDF

Availability of Septrin® Oral Liquid

HPS Pharmacies wish to advise that Arrow Pharma is experiencing a supply interruption for Septrin® as follows:

Septrin® Oral Liquid
Trimethoprim + sulfamethoxazole 40mg+200mg/5mL
ARTG 11000

Normal supplies of Septrin® Oral Liquid are expected to resume by mid-June 2023.

An internationally registered alternative has been approved for supply under Section 19A of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989. This product is identical to the Australian-registered product for active ingredients, strength, and pack size.

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 Arrow Pharma on 1800 195 055, or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.

Download PDF

Discontinuation of Diazepam Rectal Solution

HPS Pharmacies wish to advise that Perrigo Australia is discontinuing Diazepam Rectal Solution, as follows:

Diazepam Rectal Solution, 5mL
Diazepam 5mg/5ml

Perrigo has observed an atypical product stability trend with this product which has the potential to affect the product meeting specification over its current shelf life.

Perrigo has considered changes to the product formulation, manufacturing processes, and shelf-life. However, based on the observed stability trend, a robust shelf life which would allow continued production of Diazepam Rectal Solution was not able to be supported.

Retain this notice in a prominent position, including in other related business units for one month. Report any problems identified with medicines, vaccines or medical devices to the TGA.

Should you require further information regarding this matter, please contact Perrigo Australia on 1800 805 546, or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.

Download PDF

Availability of Vasodrine® Tablets

HPS Pharmacies wish to advise that Southern XP is experiencing a supply interruption for Vasodrine® as follows:

Vasodrine® Tablets
Midodrine hydrochloride 2.5 mg
ARTG 309183 

Vasodrine® Tablets
Midodrine hydrochloride 5 mg
ARTG 309184

Normal supplies of Vasodrine® 2.5mg tablets are expected to resume by early-August 2023; Vasodrine® 5mg tablets are expected to return by end-September 2023.

An internationally registered alternative for the 2.5mg tablets has been approved for supply under Section 19A of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989. This product is also currently experiencing supply issues in some states, although this is expected to resolve by end-May 2023.

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 Southern XP on (03) 7067 8510, or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.

Download PDF