Cilazapril: to be delisted 1 January 2025
Cilazapril is used in New Zealand much more than any other country. To reduce the risk of supply issues, we will stop funding cilazapril on 1 January 2025.
On this page
What’s happening
Cilazapril will be delisted from the Pharmaceutical Schedule on 1 January 2025.
We understand that a small number of people are yet to change from cilazapril to an alternative treatment.
- If you take cilazapril, we encourage you to speak to your prescriber about changing treatment.
- We encourage prescribers and pharmacists to identify people who are still taking cilazapril so they can be moved to an alternative treatment.
Why is this happening?
Cilazapril is used in New Zealand much more than any other country. There is only one place in the world that makes the active ingredient for cilazapril.
Because cilazapril is not used much in other countries – if there were a manufacturing or supply issue that affected our supply, it would be impossible for us to find enough cilazapril for everyone who takes it.
To reduce this risk, we want to support people to move from cilazapril to an alternative treatment option. Our first step was to stop new people starting on cilazapril.
Stock situation
October 2024: remaining stock of cilazapril 0.5 mg and 2.5 mg tablets expires
November 2024: cilazapril 5 mg tablets expected to be out of stock
1 January 2025: cilazapril tablets (all strengths) delisted from the Pharmaceutical Schedule
If you take cilazapril: What you need to do
Do you take cilazapril?
You will need to talk to your prescriber about a new treatment to replace cilazapril before October 2024.
Supplies of cilazapril will run out before the end of the year.
After 1 January 2025, cilazapril will no longer be funded by Pharmac.
Cilazapril is a safe and effective medicine – we are making this change to reduce the risk of supply issues affecting people.
Prescribers: What you need to do
- Identify patients using cilazapril
- Discuss transitioning to an alternative treatment as soon as possible
- Do not start any new patients on cilazapril (it won’t be funded)
All people will need a prescription for an alternative treatment before October 2024. Cilazapril (all strengths) will be delisted from 1 January 2025.
Schedule listings for funded agents affecting the renin-angiotensin system(external link)
Tools to support prescribers to switch patients from cilazapril
Help finding an alternative treatment:
Changing ACEs: The new line up – He Ako Hiringa(external link)
BPAC’s advice on prescribing ACE inhibitors(external link)
Treating hypertension and heart failure in the NZ Formulary(external link)
Pharmacists: What you need to know
If you have patients still taking cilazapril, please encourage them to talk to their prescriber about changing treatment as soon as possible.
The ‘existing patient’ endorsement has been in place since May 2021. We know that changing the Schedule in this way can create extra work for you. This is currently the main lever we have to change prescribing behaviour.
We appreciate the work you have done to support this change.
Who to contact
If you take cilazapril, talk to person who prescribes your medicine about changing to an alternative treatment option.
If you have questions about the funding of any of these medicines, email enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz
Note: We briefly published 1 August 2024 as the delisting date. After receiving information from the sector, the date was changed to 1 January 2025.