Vigabatrin (Sabril) 500 mg tablet: Recall and supply issue

We know that it can be worrying to hear that a medicine you rely on is being recalled. Sanofi, Pharmac, and Medsafe are working closely to ensure you can continue to access treatment.

Continue taking vigabatrin as normal

Do not stop or change your treatment without talking to your health care professional.

Changing from tablets to a sachet

When you next get vigabatrin (Sabril) from your pharmacy, you will need to change from a tablet to a sachet. This change is necessary because the tablets have been recalled. We have received clinical advice that the sachets are a suitable alternative to the tablets.

The sachets have the same active ingredient in the same amount. One tablet is the same as one sachet.

You will likely need a new prescription from a doctor. There will be no cost for this. Sanofi will cover the cost of one primary care prescriber appointment or repeat prescription fee if you need a new prescription.

Your prescriber will not ask you to pay. Your prescriber will claim the cost directly from Pharmac.

Taking Sabril from a sachet

• Dissolve the contents of the sachets in half a glass of water, juice or soft drink just before you plan to take it.
• It will dissolve easily and has no taste or smell.
• Once dissolved, drink the solution immediately.
• Once mixed, throw out any remaining solution within 24 hours. 

Sanofi wrote to pharmacists with the procedure to follow if you have any affected stock.

Emergency supply of tablets

Where there's no alternative available, you can contact Sanofi to access a limited supply of tablets for your patients. Call Sanofi Medical Information at 0800 283 684 (0800AVENTIS) option 2 for further information. 

Alternative listed

Pharmac listed vigabatrin 500 mg powder sachets from 1 August 2023. (Pharmacode: 2661683). We have received clinical advice that the sachets are a suitable alternative to the tablets. Note the pack size is smaller than the tablets. The sachets are Medsafe approved.

Schedule listing for vigabatrin(external link)

Stock of the sachets has arrived in Aotearoa New Zealand and is available for wholesalers and pharmacists to order. 

If your patient requires a new prescription, Sanofi is covering the cost of this. Your patient will not have to pay anything.

Communicating with your patients

We have posted about this issue on our Facebook page(external link). Please share the post to get the message out. We have also created tiles you can use if you want to create your own post.

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Pharmac has listed an alternative vigabatrin product to ensure people can continue to access treatment. The product is a sachet rather than a tablet. We have received clinical advice that the sachets are a suitable alternative to the tablets. It has the same active ingredient in the same quantity as the tablets. One tablet is the same as one sachet.

We note that the pack size for the sachets is smaller than the tablets. There are 60 sachets in a pack, as opposed to 100 tablets.

In addition to this web page, Sanofi wrote to prescribers with information about these sachets so you can support people with epilepsy and their carers during this recall.

Sanofi is funding a new prescription

As people will need a new prescription for the sachets, Sanofi is covering the cost of one primary care prescriber appointment or repeat prescription fee. The reimbursement is available until this supply issue is resolved. 

You will need to waive the patient co-payment. Download and complete the template invoice [PDF, 122 KB]. Then send it to enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz, we will reimburse you.