Safety Information

Alerts/Letters

Recall Notices are located on a different page.

Update to Therapeutic Product Database Reports

• Notice to Industry

Consumers advised to stop taking adulterated products for erectile dysfunction

• Media Release

Paradex and Capadex (Dextropropoxyphene)

• Letter to Healthcare Professionals - Withdrawal of Dextropropoxyphene-containing medicines
• Media Release - Paradex and Capadex to be withdrawn from New Zealand market
• Questions and answers on the withdrawal of the dextropropoxyphene-containing medicines Capadex and Paradex
• Medsafe risk-benefit review for dextropropoxyphene (Adobe Acrobat PDF file 2.54MB)

Pharmacovigilance activities

• Pharmacovigilance activities for anti viral medicines used to treat influenza during the pandemic – Electronic reporting tool is available

Cough and Cold Medicines

• Use of Cough and Cold Medicines in Children - New advice - October 2009

Medical Device Safety Alert

• Infusion Device Safety Software

Health warning issued under Section 98 of the Medicines Act 1981 - Samoan Pharmacy Products

• Media Release - Health warning issued under Section 98 of the Medicines Act 1981 - Samoan and Tongan medicines

Cough and Cold Products

• Information regarding use in children under 2 years of age - March 2009

Discontinuation of supply of Graseby MS16A and MS26 syringe drivers

• Medsafe Statement - Graseby MS-Series Syringe Drivers - Extension of Deadline
• Letter sent to Healthcare Professionals - March 2009
• Letter sent to Industry - November 2007

Health warning issued under Section 98 of the Medicines Act 1981 - Samoan Pharmacy

• Media Release - Health warning issued under Section 98 of the Medicines Act 1981 - Samoan Pharmacy Products

Health warning - Unapproved medicines sold from supermarket selling Chinese goods

• Media Release - Health warning - Unapproved medicines sold from supermarket selling Chinese goods
• Photos of unapproved products sold by supermarket selling Chinese goods

Paracetamol Associated with Asthma Symptoms - September 2008

• Letter to Health Care Professionals

Health warning - Erectile dysfunction / sexual enhancement 'herbal' products

• Director-General's Statement Under Section 98 Of The Medicines Act 1981

Medical Device Safety Alert- Medical Devices Containing Heparin - May-July 2008

Information in this section is intended to assist with assessment and management of the risk associated with the use of medical devices containing heparin contaminated with oversulfated chondroitin sulfate. The site will be updated as new information becomes available.

• Media Release - Update on New Zealand contaminated Heparin
• Letter to Health Care Professionals - Caution advised in use of medicines and medical devices containing heparin and low molecular weight heparin (736kb this is a pdf document and Acrobat Reader is  required for viewing)
• Letter to Industry concerning supply of heparinised sample containers (68kb this is a pdf document and Acrobat Reader is  required for viewing)
• Medical Device Safety Alert (89kb this is a pdf document and Acrobat Reader is  required for viewing)

Non-Latex Condoms - July 2008

• Letter (35kb this is a pdf document and Acrobat Reader is  required for viewing)

Eltroxin (levothyroxine) - June 2008

• Media Release
• Dear Dr Letter sent by Medsafe
• Dear Dr Letter sent by GlaxoSmithKline (1329kb this is a pdf document and Acrobat Reader is  required for viewing)

Director-General of Health warning about the personal importation of adulterated and counterfeit prescription medicines - April 2008

• DG Statement

Reporting of Incidents involving Active Implantable Devices and their Accessories - March 2008

• Letter sent to Industry

Anti-epileptics and Suicidality - February 2008

• Medsafe media release:  Medsafe alert of risk from anti-epileptic medicines
• Medsafe fax sent to Health Professionals - 1 February 2008
• FDA Alert: Suicidality and Antiepileptic Drugs

Medsafe advice on aprotinin - Oct 2007

• Increased caution is warranted

Toothpaste test results update - September 2007

• Medsafe receives more toothpaste testing results

Toothpastes found to contain diethylene glycol (DEG) - Test Results - August 2007

• Updated health warning issued under Section 98 of the Medicines Act - Diethylene Glycol in toothpastes

Prexige (lumiracoxib) and risk of hepatotoxicity - Aug 2007

• Dear Health Professional letter - issued by Novartis 21 Aug 2007
  (Note: This is a 168KB PDF file which requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to enable viewing - to download Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Media statement 21 Aug 2007

Consumer Warning Regarding Chinese-made Toothpastes that may contain Diethylene Glycol - June 2007

• Director-General's Statement Under Section 98 of the Medicines Act 1981 (Dr Cool Toothpaste)
• Director-General's Statement Under Section 98 of the Medicines Act 1981 (Excel Toothpaste)

Herbal products containing undeclared sildenafil and sibutramine - April 2007

• D-G statement

Herbal products containing undeclared sildenafil and sibutramine - July 2006

• D-G statement

Herbal products which contain undeclared prescription medicines - May 2006

• Director-General's Statement Under Section 98 Of The Medicines Act 1981

Unapproved prescription and pharmacist-only medicines from China - April 2006

• Director-General's Statement Under Section 98 of the Medicines Act 1981 

Li Da capsules and Nasutra capsules - March 2006

• Director-General's Statement Under Section 98 of the Medicines Act 1981

Malfunction of a Cryosurgical Instrument - Dec 2005

• Safety Alert on the Malfunction of a Cryosurgical Instrument

'Super Fat Burning' weight loss product warning - June 2005

• Director-General's Statement Under Section 98 Of The Medicines Act 1981

COX-2 inhibitors - April 2005

• Fax sent to doctors and pharmacists (29 April)
• Ministry of Health media release: Stringent conditions for COX-2 inhibitors

'Herbs Health' brand of herbal products warning - March 2005

• Director-General's Privileged Statement Under Section 98 Of The Medicines Act 1981
• Advice to doctors regarding patients who have taken Herbs Health Multistress capsules
• Advice for Consumers Taking 'Herbs Health' Products

COX-2 inhibitors - Feb 2005

• Fax sent to doctors and pharmacists (22 Feb)
• Ministry of Health media release: Ministry of Health issues strong warning on COX-2 inhibitors

Herbal Remedies - October 2004

• Director-General's Privileged Statement Under Section 98 Of The Medicines Act 1981

Antidepressants - October 2004

• Health Professional letter re. Updated information and advice about the use of antidepressant medicines - 19 October 2004 (Note: This is a 129KB PDF file which requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to enable viewing
  - to download Adobe Acrobat Reader click here)
• Ministry of Health media release: New Advice on Prescribing Anti-Depressants

Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine to become Controlled Drugs - September 2004

• Letter to pharmaceutical companies and wholesalers:
• View as a PDF 141KB (Acrobat Reader required)

SSRI Antidepressants - March 2004

• Health Professional Letter re. Use of SSRI antidepressants in children and adolescents
  (This is a 77KB PDF file which requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to enable viewing
  - download Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Health Canada warning about Hua Fo 'Vigor-Max' tablets - May 2003

• Health Canada is warning consumers not to use Hua Fo VIGOR-MAX tablets, a Chinese herbal product that contains tadalafil (a prescription medicine)

Pan Pharmaceuticals - products recalled in Australia - May 2003

• Media releases and list of products manufactured by Pan Pharmaceuticals 

Traditional Chinese Medicines - Feb 2003

• Media Release (including questions and answers)

Traditional Chinese Medicines - Jan 2003

• Media Release (including questions and answers)
• Letter sent to doctors

Urgent Safety Alert - Use of Alcohol Based Skin Preparations in Operating Theatres - October 2002

• Letter sent to Hospitals for CEOs, Operating Departments and Surgeons
• Waitemata District Health Board Report
  (This is a 469KB PDF file which requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to enable viewing
  - to download Adobe Acrobat Reader click here)
• New Zealand Fire Service Report

Herbal Supplements Warning from Health Canada - June 2002

• Health Canada is warning Canadians not to use seven herbal supplements: Arthrin, Osporo, Poena, Neutralis, Oa Plus, Ra Spes and Hepastat

Cheng Kum/Shen Loon - Dec 2001

• Media Release (including background information, questions and answers)
• Photos of Cheng Kum and Shen Loon
• Letter sent to doctors
• Letter sent to known consumers

St John's Wort - April 2000

• Safety Alert for Consumers:  St John's Wort and Prescribed Medicines
• Prescriber Update Articles:  Interactions with St John's Wort Preparations