Supply issue with Redipred
Aspen Pharmacare advised us of a short-term supply issue for Redipred. It was caused by a significant increase in demand.
Resupply has begun
Stock of Redipred is being released to wholesalers, who are dispatching it with urgency.
Pharmac has worked closely with the supplier of Redipred, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and New Zealand Customs to ensure this shipment processed as quickly as possible. We anticipate pharmacies will have stock by early in the week beginning 19 July 2021.
Alternative to prednisolone oral liquid
We have received clinical advice that as an alternative to prednisolone oral liquid, prednisone tablets can be crushed and mixed with soft food/water. This cannot be done by pharmacists in advance. It will need to be done by parents to be given to children immediately after preparation.
Prescribers: What to do
If your local pharmacy does not have Redipred, please consider prescribing prednisone tablets in place of prednisolone oral liquid until the supply situation resolves. This will ensure pharmacies are able to dispense a medicine to patients without requiring a new prescription.
Pharmacists What to do
Please give the child's caregivers clear instructions on how to administer prednisone tablets, if they are dispensed. This is a short-term option until resupply of prednisolone oral liquid.
Prednisolone oral liquid was released to wholesalers on Thursday 15 July 2021.
Parents and caregivers: What to do
If you have a prescription for prednisolone oral liquid (Redipred), please call your local pharmacy to see if they have stock before you visit.
You may be given a prescription for prednisone tablets. Your doctor and pharmacist can tell you how to administer these. This is a short-term option until resupply of prednisolone oral liquid. We anticipate this medicine will be available at pharmacies from (Friday 16 July 2021) at the earliest.
Future demand
Pharmac is working with the supplier to airfreight the next order to New Zealand before the end of this month.
The supplier has increased their ordering quantities for the coming months, so we have enough of this medicine now and in the future.
Who to contact
If you are a pharmacist with questions about resupply, contact Aspen Pharmacare or your wholesaler.
Phone: 09 220 5393
www.aspenpharma.co.nz(external link)
Web contact form(external link)
If your child has been prescribed Redipred or prednisone tablets, talk to your pharmacist or the person who prescribed it. Pharmac cannot discuss individual clinical situations.
