Lamotrigine brand change
Lamotrigine is used to treat epilepsy and some mental health conditions, such as bipolar disorder.
Dose changes and nominated pharmacy
You can dispense lamotrigine at a dose different to that specified on the approval. You do not need to tell or seek approval from PHARMAC.
Any pharmacy can dispense and claim for lamotrigine with an exceptional circumstances approval. There is no need to have a nominated pharmacy for lamotrigine.
- Lamotrigine exceptional circumstances form [DOC 113 KB]
Applications to fund Arrow-Lamotrigine and Lamictal
- Total number of patients: 2,526
- Applications under assessment: 21
- Approved: 2,418
- Declined: 78
- Withdrawn: 9
(last updated August 2020)
The number of declined applications has increased because dispensing data indicated that these applications were for people who:
- were not previously on another brand of lamotrigine and for who Logem is an appropriate treatment option or
- had not been prescribed lamotrigine for mental health or epilepsy indications.
Read the criteria for funding alternative brands of lamotrigine
Media releases and OIA responses
Media releases about lamotrigine brand change
- 5 June 2020 – Independent review of lamotrigine sole supply decision by PHARMAC
- 15 November 2019 – PHARMAC to widen access to the exceptional circumstances process for lamotrigine
- 26 October 2019 – Update on proposal to move to one funded brand of lamotrigine (Logem)
- 1 October 2019 – Lamotrigine brand change from today
Responses to Official Information Act requests about lamotrigine
- 22 February 2021: OIA response: lamotrigine external media correspondence
- 15 February 2021: OIA response: lamotrigine meetings records and communications
- 24 February 2020 – Information relating to the lamotrigine brand change
- 11 February 2020 – Difference in number of declined lamotrigine exceptional circumstances applications
- 9 December 2019 – Advice around costs of lamotrigine brand change
- 4 December 2019 – Number of exceptional circumstances applications (Note: Latest information is on this page)
- 28 November 2019 – Lamotrigine contingency plan activation
- 16 December 2019 – Lamotrigine NPPA change
- 29 October 2019 – Venlafaxine and lamotrigine NPPA data
- 1 October 2019 – Lamotrigine safety
- 15 May 2019 − Lamotrigine correspondence
Details of the decision process
- 11 April 2019 – Decision to move to one funded brand of lamotrigine (Logem)
- 7 February 2019 – Advice from the Joint Neurology and Mental Health PTAC subcommittee [PDF, 194 KB]
- 26 October 2018 – Update on proposal to move to one funded brand of lamotrigine (Logem)
- 22 August 2018 – Proposal to move to one funded brand of lamotrigine (Logem)
- 14 June 2018 – Request for proposals (RFP): Supply of lamotrigine chewable/dispersible tablets