HPS Pharmacies wish to advise that Sanofi-Aventis and Alphapharm are experiencing a supply interruption for rifampicin capsules as follows:
| Product |
ARTG |
Expected return date |
| Rifadin® 150mg |
233442 |
End-January 2026 |
| Rifadin® 300mg |
233443 |
End-January 2026 |
| Rimycin® 150mg |
48230 |
Late October 2025 |
| Rimycin® 300mg |
48231 |
Mid-November 2025 |
Internationally registered alternatives of the 300mg capsules have been approved for supply under Section 19A of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989. Please note that S19A products may have a longer lead time as they must be sourced internationally.
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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HPS Pharmacies wish to give notice that Aspen, in consultation with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), has issued a product recall for Tracrium® as follows:
Tracrium® Ampoules
Atracurium besilate 25mg/2.5mL
ARTG 11008
This product recall was initiated following reports of glass particles in a batch supplied in Switzerland. There have not been any product complaints reported in Australia.
The only batch affected by this notice is: XP1S4 (Expiry: December 2025)
There is no shortage associated with this recall and there is adequate supply of recently manufactured Tracrium® available.
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.
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 Aspen on 1300 659 646 or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.
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HPS Pharmacies wish to advise that Amdipharm Mercury Australia is experiencing a supply interruption for Apresoline® Ampoules as follows:
Apresoline® Ampoules
Hydralazine hydrochloride 20mg
ARTG 43190
Normal supplies are expected to resume by the end of March 2026.
While an internationally registered alternative has been approved for supply under Section 19A of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, this product is not yet available.
Hydralazine ampoules can currently only be accessed via the Special Access Scheme (SAS).
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 Amdipharm Mercury Australia on 1800 627 680, or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.
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HPS Pharmacies wish to give notice that CSL Seqirus, in consultation with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), has initiated a drug recall for Palexia® SR as follows:
Palexia® SR 100mg Tablets
Tapentadol (as hydrochloride) 100 mg
ARTG 165346
The only lot affected by this recall contains the lot number: 205W01 (Expiry 02/2027)
This drug recall was initiated as the foil on the blister packaging in some packs of the affected lot is not properly secured. This may cause tablets to become loose and means the packaging is no longer child-resistant. There are no safety or efficacy concerns with the tablets. Each pack should be inspected to identify any affected blister packs from this batch.
Please inspect your stock and quarantine any defect stock. 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, 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.
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 CSL Seqirus on 1800 008 275 or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.
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HPS Pharmacies wish to give notice that Pfizer, in consultation with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), has issued a product alert for Bicillin L-A as follows:
Bicillin L-A
Benzathine benzylpenicillin tetrahydrate 1,200,000 Units / 2.3 mL
ARTG 147169
This product alert was initiated following the identification of particulate matter during visual inspection of syringes. Affected syringes were rejected during the manufacturing process, and there is currently no evidence to suggest any of the released syringes from the below lots contain particulate matter. However, as Pfizer cannot exclude the possibility of a similar defect, a product alert has been issued.
The batches affected by this notice are:
- LT0106 (Exp 30 September 2027)
- HJ3234 (Exp 30 September 2026)
If impacted product is administered to a patient, Pfizer advises that there is a potential for a mild hypersensitive reaction, rash, oedema, infection, or needle blockage impacting the inability to deliver a full dose. No product quality complaints or adverse events related to the impacted batches have been reported with regards to this problem.
While there is no replacement stock due the current shortage, Pfizer makes the following recommendations to mitigate risk:
- Perform careful visual inspection of any syringe prior to administration.
- Discard the syringe if particulate matter is observed. Do not administer to patients.
- If abnormal resistance is encountered from the syringe plunger during administration, discontinue usage. Discard the used syringe and assess if a replacement dose is required.
- Follow usual procedures to monitor patients post-administration for reactions including, but not limited to, local foreign body reactions and infections.
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 Pfizer on 1800 675 229 or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.
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HPS Pharmacies wishes to advise that Boehringer Ingelheim is discontinuing all strengths of Twynsta® (telmisartan + amlodipine) and Pritor/Amlodipine (telmisartan + amlodipine) tablets.
All strengths of these products are set to be discontinued on 31 December 2025. Supplies are expected to be exhausted by 1 February 2026.
These products are indicated for the treatment of hypertension. Their discontinuation is related to a reduction in demand. There are no safety or quality concerns associated with these products.
There is currently no identical combination products marketed in Australia. However, telmisartan and amlodipine are available separately in multiple brands.
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 Boehringer Ingelheim on (02) 8875 8800 or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.
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HPS Pharmacies wish to advise that Echo Therapeutics are experiencing a supply interruption for Temgesic® sublingual tablets as follows:
Temgesic® Sublingual Tablets
Buprenorphine 200 microgram
ARTG 34091
This supply interruption currently only affects the 50-pack of sublingual tablets. Normal supplies of this product are expected to resume by the end of August 2025.
An internationally registered alternative of the 50-pack has been approved for supply under Section 19A of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989. This product is registered in Germany and labelling is in German. The strength is printed on the outer carton, but not on individual blisters, which may lead to confusion. To avoid this issue, the Australian-registered pack of 20 sublingual tablets may be considered, where appropriate.
Please note that S19A products may have a longer lead time as they must be sourced internationally.
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 Echo Therapeutics on 1300 848 328, or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.
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HPS Pharmacies wish to advise of a supply issue affecting clopidogrel 75mg tablets.
Supplies of clopidogrel 75mg tablets are expected to be intermittent over the next 2-4 months. Normal supplies are expected to resume in September 2025 for some brands, while other brands are not expected to return until later in the year.
Combination products of clopidogrel 75mg + aspirin 100mg are currently available. However, supplies of some brands may also be impacted over this period.
Supplies of other antiplatelet agents (i.e. aspirin, prasugrel, and ticagrelor) have not been affected.
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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HPS Pharmacies wish to advise that Amdipharm Mercury Australia is anticipating a supply interruption for Apresoline® Ampoules as follows:
Apresoline® Ampoules
Hydralazine hydrochloride 20mg
ARTG 43190
This supply interruption is expected to occur between mid-August 2025 and end-March 2026.
An internationally registered alternative has been approved for supply under Section 19A of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989. This stock is expected to be available from wholesalers from the second week of August 2025.
The S19A product is registered in Spain and labelling is in Spanish. Some of the other differences between the Australian registered product and the S19A alternative are shown in the table below.
| |
Apresoline® |
Hydrapres® |
| Status |
Australian-registered |
S19A product |
| Formulation |
Hydralazine 20mg |
Hydralazine 20mg
Also contains mannitol |
| Reconstitution |
Use 1mL WFI
Further dilute with NaCl 0.9% |
Use 1.1mL WFI but extract only 1mL |
The S19A product contains information on IM administration. Healthcare professionals are advised to ignore the reference to IM use and refer to the Australian Product Information (PI) for dosing and administration instructions. The Australian PI is supplied with the pack and also available here.
Please note that S19A products may have a longer lead time as they must be sourced internationally.
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 Amdipharm Mercury Australia on 1800 627 680, or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.
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Further to DrugAlert vol 1018, HPS Pharmacies wish to advise that Bridgewest is also experiencing a supply interruption for lidocaine 2% ampoules as follows:
Lidocaine Injection
Lidocaine (lignocaine) HCl 2% (400mg/20mL)
ARTG 49295
Lidocaine Injection
Lidocaine (lignocaine) HCl 2% (100mg/5mL)
ARTG 49293
Normal supplies of Bridgewest Lidocaine Injection 2% are expected to return in late February 2026.
Alternative brands of lidocaine 2% are available, including Lidocaine Apotex, Lidocaine Noridem, and Xylocaine. The approved indications and administration instructions 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 Bridgewest on (08) 9362 0666, or your pharmacist at HPS Pharmacies.
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