Mesalazine 800 mg tablets (Asacol): Supply issue
Chiesi, the supplier, has reported a supply constraint of 800 mg Asacol tabs from late February until July 2024.
26 July 2024 update
Chiesi advises it has shipped its remaining stock of the 400 mg to wholesalers. The New Zealand registered brands of 400 mg and 800 mg are arriving by air freight 5 August 2024. Chiesi will work with Healthcare Logistics (HCL) to clear all backorders to wholesalers by 9 August 2024. It may take a further 1 to 2 weeks for the product to make its way around the country to pharmacies.
There may be an out of stock for pharmacies. If mesalazine is unavailable, people will need to talk to their prescriber about a new prescription for a suitable alternative. There are other funded products:
Affected product
Chiesi, the supplier, has reported a supply constraint of 800 mg Asacol tabs from late February until July 2024.
- Chemical: Mesalazine
- Brand: Asacol
- Pharmacode: 2470616 and 2536552
- Subsidy: $85.50
- Measure / Qty: per 90
Schedule listing for mesalazine(external link)
This supply constraint primarily affects the 800 mg tablet of mesalazine. Other presentations remain available.
Alternative products
We have received clinical advice that people can take two 400 mg tablets of mesalazine.
If mesalazine is unavailable, people will need to talk to their prescriber about a new prescription for a suitable alternative. There are other funded products:
Schedule therapeutic group(external link)
Supplier now out of stock of section 29 alternative
To ensure a product remains available, Chiesi brought in Australian-branded Asacol. While the packaging is similar, it will still need to be prescribed and supplied as an unapproved medicine.
Chiesi letter to prescribers about the alternative product [PDF, 106 KB]
It was listed from 1 April 2024.
Who to contact
If you have questions about this issue, email enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz
Please include as much information as you can about the product (presentation, brand, pharmacode) and who your wholesaler is.
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