What changed?
The funded brand of paroxetine changed from Apo-Paroxetine to Loxamine. The Apo-Paroxetine brand is a generic medicine, so this change means a different generic brand is funded.
The new brand was available from 1 October 2019
- From 1 October 2019, Loxamine was fully funded and available for patients.
- From 1 March 2020, only Loxamine is fully funded. Apo-Paroxetine is no longer funded.
If you do want to keep using your current brand of paroxetine, you can ask your pharmacist to check the price and availability. PHARMAC cannot guarantee the availability or price of Apo-Paroxetine after 1 March 2020.
Loxamine works the same as the other brands
- Loxamine works in the same way as Apo-Paroxetine. Loxamine has the same active ingredient and is delivered to the body in the same way.
- Loxamine has been thoroughly evaluated by Medsafe to ensure it’s safe and works the same as the other brands.
- It’s understandable that you might have questions about changing your medicine, but you shouldn’t notice any difference when you change to Loxamine. If you have any questions or concerns about changes to medicines, you should talk with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Read more about generic medicines
Your new brand comes in tablets
Your brand changed to help us fund other medicines
A decision to change a medicine, especially one as important as paroxetine, isn’t taken lightly.
Our job is to make sure New Zealanders have access to the medicines they need. Making changes to medicines helps us achieve that by freeing up our limited budget to fund other medicines in the community.
Find out more
If you have any questions or concerns about changing brands, talk with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. You can also get more information from us at enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz or 0800 66 00 50.
For healthcare professionals
Healthcare professionals play an important role in supporting patients through changes to their medicines. We’d like to support you as you help your patients through the changes to paroxetine.
We’ve prepared some material for you to share with people as they change brands.
Here are patient information leaflets that you can download and print.
Key points to tell your patients about Loxamine
- Loxamine has the same active ingredient (paroxetine) as the other brands. This means the new brand of medication is just as safe and works the same as the old brand. Patients shouldn’t notice any difference in how it affects them.
- Loxamine comes in tablets and will look different from Apo-Paroxetine - this will not change how well the medicine works.
- Loxamine is a brand that has previously been funded.
