Decision to secure supply of sumatriptan tablets
We have secured ongoing supply of 50 mg and 100 mg sumatriptan tablets.
What we’re doing
We're pleased to announce that we have secured ongoing supply of 50 mg and 100 mg sumatriptan tablets.
This decision means that:
- the Sumagran brand of 50 mg and 100 mg sumatriptan tablets supplied by Mylan will be funded from 1 September 2021.
- the Apo-Sumatriptan brand of 50 mg and 100 mg, sumatriptan tablets supplied by Apotex will be delisted from the Pharmaceutical Schedule on 1 February 2022.
- the Sumagran brand of sumatriptan tablets will be the only funded brand of 50 mg and 100 mg sumatriptan from 1 February 2022.
What does this decision mean?
People taking sumatriptan tablets will need to change to the Sumagran brand by 1 February 2022 to continue to access funded sumatriptan tablets. After this date, the Apo-Sumatriptan brand will no longer be funded in New Zealand.
The Sumagran brand of sumatriptan tablets has been funded before.
Any changes to the original proposal?
These decisions were subject to a consultation letter dated 19 February 2021.
Further consultation was undertaken in May 2021.
No changes have been made to this proposal based on the feedback received.
Who we think will be most interested
- People using this medicine and their family, whānau or caregivers.
- Hospital and community pharmacists, DHBs and wholesalers.
- Clinicians and other prescribers of these medicines.
- Suppliers of medicines to the New Zealand market.
Details about this decision
This decision follows Apotex New Zealand Limited’s (Apotex) decision to consolidate its international presence and leave the New Zealand market. Apotex currently supplies the funded brand of 50 mg and 100 mg sumatriptan tablets (Apo-Sumatriptan).
From 1 September 2021 Mylan’s Sumagran brand of 50 mg and 100 mg sumatriptan tablets will be listed in Section B and Part II of Section H of the Pharmaceutical Schedule as follows:
|
Chemical |
Presentation |
Brand |
Pack size |
Price & |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sumatriptan |
Tab 50 mg |
Sumagran |
90 |
$14.41 |
|
Sumatriptan |
Tab 100 mg |
Sumagran |
90 |
$22.68 |
From 1 February 2022 the Apo-Sumatriptan brand will be delisted from the Pharmaceutical Schedule and the Sumagran brand will be the only funded brand of 50 mg and 100 mg sumatriptan tablets until at least 30 June 2024.
A discretionary variance (DV) limit of 1% will apply to these medicines in DHB hospitals. This means, 99% of the total volume purchases of 50 mg and 100 mg sumatriptan tablets in DHB hospitals are required to be the Sumagran brand.
Our response to what you told us
We’re grateful for the time people took to respond to the consultation. The table provides a summary of the main themes raised in feedback and our responses to the feedback received.
|
Theme |
PHARMAC Comment |
|---|---|
|
Transition Period |
|
|
Requests for a five-month transition period where both the incoming brand and the currently funded brand of this medicine would be listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule. |
There will be a five-month period where both brands of sumatriptan tablets will be listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule. The actual transition period may be shorter than this, depending on how quickly Apotex’s remaining stock of sumatriptan is used. |
|
Request for brand switch fee |
|
|
Requests for a brand switch fee be applied to medicines used in the treatment of chronic conditions. |
A Brand Switch Fee will not be applied to sumatriptan as it does not meet the criteria for a brand switch fee due to recent brand changes for sumatriptan in 2017. |
If you have any questions about this decision, you can email us at enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz; or call our toll-free number (9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday) on 0800 66 00 50.