HPS Pharmacies wish to advise that Alphapharm is currently experiencing a supply interruption for trimethoprim tablets as follows:
Trimethoprim Viatris
Trimethoprim 300 mg tablet
ARTG 338350
Normal supplies of Trimethoprim Viatris tablets are expected to resume by 5 April 2024. The alternative brands, Trimprim® and Alprim® are also experiencing supply issues in some states. Wholesalers anticipate normal supplies of these alternative brands to resume in early April 2024.
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.
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Further to DrugAlert vol 875, HPS Pharmacies wish to advise that Pfizer is continuing to experience a supply interruption for Heparin as follows:
Heparin Sodium
Heparin sodium 5000IU/5mL
ARTG 49232
The supply interruption for boxes of 10 ampoules is expected to resolve by end-May 2024, and end-June 2024 for boxes of 50 ampoules.
Internationally registered alternatives have been approved for supply under Section 19A of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989. Please note that one of the S19A alternatives contains a preservative, while the Australian-registered product is preservative-free. Alternatives may also be accessed via the Special Access Scheme (SAS). There is currently a considerable lead time for accessing these alternative products.
Other presentations that are available to order as normal include:
- DBL Heparin Sodium 5000IU/0.2mL (5 amps)
- DBL Heparin Sodium 1000IU/1mL (50 amps)
- DBL Heparin Sodium 5000IU/1mL (5 amps)
Heparin is a high-risk medication. Additional care is recommended when selecting products, particularly when the packaging may be unfamiliar.
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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HPS Pharmacies wish to advise that Boehringer Ingelheim intends to discontinue Metalyse® 40mg as follows:
Metalyse® Powder for Injection
Tenecteplase (rch) 40mg
ARTG 75012
The 40mg presentation of Metalyse® will be deleted in September 2024, with stock predicted to be depleted by the end of January 2025. The decision to discontinue Metalyse® 40mg is due to low and diminishing demand for this presentation in Australia. This will also allow production to be streamlined for the 50mg presentation.
Metalyse® is also continuing to experience a supply shortage that is expected to persist until 31 December 2024. Boehringer Ingelheim is managing the supply of Metalyse® and anticipates that supplies of Metalyse® 50mg will be adequate to meet the agreed allocations for 2024. The conservation strategies recommended by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) continue to apply.
In addition, an internationally-registered brand of tenecteplase 50mg is approved for supply in Australia under section 19A of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989. This product is also subsidised under the existing PBS listing for tenecteplase.
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 Boehringer Ingelheim on (02) 8875 8800 or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.
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HPS Pharmacies wish to advise that multiple suppliers are experiencing a supply interruption for gliclazide tablets, as follows.
| Product |
ARTG |
Current Status |
| APX-Gliclazide 80mg |
337479 |
Late March 2024 |
| Nidem 80mg |
79023 |
Early March 2024 |
| Glyade 80mg |
70433 |
Discontinued |
| Glayde MR 30mg |
139728 |
Discontinued |
| APO-Gliclazide MR 30mg |
151303 |
Late May 2024 |
| Gliclazide MR Viatris 30mg |
295541 |
End-March 2024 |
| Pharmacor Gliclazide MR 30mg |
316934 |
Mid-March 2024 |
Gliclazide 60mg modified-release tablets are not affected by this supply interruption and remain available.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has implemented a Serious Scarcity Substitution Instrument (SSSI) to help manage this situation. The SSSI allows pharmacists to supply gliclazide 60mg modified-release tablets while the 30mg tablets are unavailable, providing the conditions of the SSSI are met, including:
- The patient, or person acting on behalf of the patient, must be given suitable instructions regarding dose administration of the substituted medicine, i.e. 60mg tablets should be halved to obtain a 30mg dose; and
- When the 60mg tablets must be halved, instructions should be given to split the tablet along the score line to maintain the modified-release properties of the tablet. The halved tablet must then be swallowed whole and not crushed, chewed, or broken further.
This SSSI is in force until 31 July 2024, unless revoked earlier by the TGA. Information on PBS arrangements is available on the PBS Medicines Shortages page.
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.
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Further to DrugAlert volume 890, HPS Pharmacies wishes to provide an update on the availability of morphine oral solution. While Ordine® Oral Solution was discontinued by Mundipharma in 2023, Arrotex Pharmaceuticals has now announced that it will be taking over the sponsorship of the Ordine® range.
Arrotex anticipates that supplies of all strengths of Ordine® Oral Solution will resume by late August 2024. In the meantime, several overseas registered morphine oral solution products remain approved for supply under Section 19A of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989.
Products approved under Section 19A include:
- Morphine sulfate 2mg/mL oral solution (Hikma)
- Morphine sulfate 10mg/5mL oral solution (Martindale Pharma)
- Warning – this product contains ethanol (0.4mL per 5mL) and sucrose (2.25g per 5mL).
- Morphini HCl Streuli (morphine hydrochloride) 10mg/mL oral drops (Switzerland)
- Warning – this product is not labelled in English. Additional care is required when storing and dispensing this medicine. Appropriate auxiliary labels should be provided. Health professionals should refer to the Australian product information for dosing information.
- Warning – this product contains alcohol (1.2% v/v).
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.
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HPS Pharmacies wish to give notice that Seqirus, in consultation with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), has issued a product defect correction for ADT™ Booster as follows:
ADT™ Booster
Diphtheria and Tetanus Vaccine
ARTG 130919
The only batch affected by this notice is DT403A (expiry 31/01/2026)
This defect alert was initiated as a small number of syringes in batch DT403A are missing the batch number and expiry details on the syringe label. These details are still present on the box containing the syringe and the syringe is still identifiable as ADT™ Booster. Therefore, the health risk to patients is considered low.
Seqirus advises staff to inspect stock and identify any syringes with a labelling defect. If a defect is found, the product carton should be referred to for batch and expiry details. The vaccine may still be administered, but the syringes must not be removed from the carton until they are to be used.
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 Seqirus on 1800 642 865 or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.
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Further to DrugAlert vol 902, HPS Pharmacies wish to give notice that Aspen Pharmacare Australia is experiencing a supply interruption for the following local anaesthetic products:
| Product |
ARTG |
Anticipated availability |
| Xylocaine 2% Adrenaline 1:200,000 5X20mL (theatre pack) |
12021 |
Early June 2024 |
| Xylocaine 0.5% Adrenaline 1:200,000 5X20mL (theatre pack) |
12008 |
Long term out of stock |
| Marcain 0.25% with Adrenaline 1:400,000 5x20mL (sterile theatre pack) |
125878 |
Late April-early May 2024 |
| Marcain 0.5% with Adrenaline 1:200,000 5x20mL (sterile theatre pack) |
48329 |
Late March-early April 2024 |
All other Aspen local anaesthetic products are available.
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, or Aspen Pharmacare Australia on 1300 659 646.
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HPS Pharmacies wish to advise that Pfizer is experiencing a supply interruption for magnesium sulfate ampoules as follows:
DBL™ Magnesium Sulfate Injection
Magnesium Sulfate Heptahydrate 2.47g/5mL
ARTG 16311
Normal supplies are expected to resume by late February to early March 2024.
Supplies of Phebra Magnesium Sulfate Heptahydrate 50% Injection are currently available in most states and territories. This product contains 2.5g/5mL of magnesium sulfate.
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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HPS Pharmacies wishes to advise that Sanofi-Aventis is discontinuing Vivaxim® as follows:
Vivaxim® Injection Syringe
Hepatitis a virus antigen + Salmonella typhi Vi polysaccharide
ARTG 82745
This product will no longer be supplied in Australia once the current stocks have been depleted. The last batches manufactured have an expiry date of 30 November 2024.
Single antigen vaccines that may be considered as alternatives include:
- Avaxim® (inactivated hepatitis A vaccine);
- Havrix® 1440 (inactivated hepatitis A vaccine);
- Havrix® Junior (inactivated hepatitis A vaccine);
- Vaqta® (inactivated hepatitis A vaccine);
- Typhim Vi® (salmonella typhi vi polysaccharide vaccine); and
- Vivotif® Oral (oral typhoid vaccine).
Individual product information documents should be consulted for information on indications and administration instructions.
Sanofi-Aventis also anticipates that Avaxim® may experience a supply shortage during April and May 2024.
Retain this notice in a prominent position, including in other related business units for at least 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 Sanofi-Aventis on 1800 829 468 or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.
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HPS Pharmacies wish to advise that there is currently a limited supply of paracetamol for parenteral use. The following products are affected.
| Product |
ARTG |
Estimated Return Date |
| B. Braun Paracetamol 1g/100mL Bottle |
275359 |
Early March 2024 |
| Paracetamol BNM 1g/100mL Bag |
201870 |
Limited stock – supplier managed |
| Paracetamol KABI 1g/100mL Bag |
218687 |
Mid-March 2024 |
| Paracetamol KABI 1g/100mL Vial |
203624 |
Mid-late February 2024 |
HPS Pharmacies is currently sourcing various brands via staged supply from the manufacturer, where possible.
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.
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