Kia ora,
Thank you for your support with the Noumed Phenobarbitone 30 mg tablets brand change.
We have been made aware that some people have had difficulty accessing the Noumed Phenobarbitone 30 mg tablets. We have been in contact with the wholesalers and can confirm the Noumed Phenobarbitone 30 mg tablets are now available for supply.
Both PSM phenobarbitone 30 mg tablets and Noumed phenobarbitone 30 mg tablets will be needed when changing brands. We appreciate that some people may have changed brands earlier than others.
Informa�on for prescribers
As per our previous emails, people using the PSM brand of phenobarbitone 30 mg tablets will need to change to the Noumed brand.
Pharmac’s Neurological Advisory Commitee has recommended that people who take phenobarbitone tablets for epilepsy visit their prescriber twice and have serum phenobarbital levels monitored throughout the change. The first of these serum tests is recommended three weeks prior to changing brands.
If you have organised the first of these serum tests, please note on the next prescrip�on that Noumed Phenobarbitone 30 mg tablets need to be dispensed from the pharmacy.
To avoid people who are using phenobarbitone incurring any addi�onal costs due to this brand change, Pharmac will fund two primary care co-payments for individuals on this treatment, and serum phenobarbital levels for people who cannot access a collec�on centre where this test is funded.
There are addi�onal considera�ons required for people on phenobarbitone who are pregnant or of child-bearing age. Please obtain �mely neurologist advice to inform management approach and refer to advice in HealthPathways
Timeline:
• August 2023: PSM Phenobarbitone 30 mg tablets supply expected to run out at wholesalers,
• August 2023: Pharmacies are likely to have stock of PSM Phenobarbitone 30 mg tablets to support the transi�on,
• 1 December 2023: PSM Phenobarbitone to be delisted from the Pharmaceu�cal Schedule.
Please share this informa�on
We want to make sure that everyone who needs to know about this brand change is aware of it. Please share this informa�on with your colleagues.
Please visit the phenobarbitone brand change no�fica�on on our website for further informa�on, including instruc�ons about how to claim for reimbursement of waived pa�ent fees.
If you have ques�ons about this, please email enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz
Note: There is stock of PSM Phenobarbitone 15 mg tablets un�l January 2024, and we will provide an update on the alterna�ve brand of this strength of tablet closer to this date.