Selegiline hydrochloride 5 mg tab: Delisted 1 September 2023

Why is this happening?

Selegiline 5 mg tablets was supplied by Apotex. Apotex has left the New Zealand market.

We have been unable to find an alternative supplier for selegiline. 

We made changes in 2021 so current patients could continue to access selegiline for as long as possible. But supplies of selegiline are likely depleted.

Key dates 

1 August 2021

• Funding was restricted to people who were using selegiline before 1 August 2021. 
• Pharmacists can endorse the script where they have a record of a previous dispensing of selegiline.
• Alternative product, rasagiline, listed in the Schedule.

1 September 2021: Temporary new brand listing

• Eldepryl brand of selegiline supplied by Aspen.
• We have sourced 6 months' supply to allow time for patients to transition off selegiline to an alternative treatment.

2022

• 1 April 2022 - Apo-selegiline was delisted on 1 April 2022.
• November 2022 - Stocks of Eldepryl selegiline exhausted.

1 September 2023 

• Eldepryl will be delisted on 1 September 2023.  

Waiver for GP co-payment fees 

We know that moving people from one treatment to another due to a change in funding can be difficult. To support this, we covered the cost of one GP patient co-payment from August 2021 until 1 October 2022. 

Alternative product 

We have received clinical advice that rasagiline may be a suitable alternative for people to be transitioned to. 

Advice for prescribers – He Ako Hiringa(external link)

Rasagiline (Azilect) was listed on the Schedule from 1 August 2021.

Read our decision to fund rasagiline

Rasagiline is not currently Medsafe-approved. This means it will need to be prescribed and supplied in line with section 29 of the Medicines Act.

Prescribing and supplying an unapproved medicine

Section 29 of the Medicines Act allows for medicines that are not Medsafe approved to be prescribed and supplied to people. The medicine must be prescribed by someone registered with the Medical Council of New Zealand – eg a doctor. 

We know supplying a medicine under section 29 is not ideal. In this case, however, the alternative would be for patients to be unable to access appropriate treatment. 

We apologise for any inconvenience this causes. 

Advice for prescribing under section 29 – BPAC website(external link)

Prescriber and pharmacist requirements for section 29 medicines – Medsafe website(external link)

Medsafe’s Section 29 Declaration / Notification Form [DOC](external link)

What patients need to know about section 29 medicines – Health Navigator website(external link)

Who to contact 

If you are taking selegiline, talk to your pharmacist or the person who prescribed the selegiline. They are in the best place to advise on your clinical circumstances. 

If you have funding questions about selegiline, email enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz