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When new safety information for medicines is identified, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) works with the sponsors to update Product Information (PI) to ensure that health professionals and consumers have access to this information. New safety information can be identified through the TGA's ongoing safety monitoring activities or uncovered and submitted by sponsors themselves. Please see below details of some medicines that have recently had safety related updates to their PI.
The TGA monitors the safety of medicines marketed in Australia using:
- reports of adverse events
- Risk Management Plans (RMPs) and Periodic Safety Update Reports (PSURs)
- reviews of literature
- sharing of information with other regulatory agencies
- sharing of information with Australian state and territory health authorities.
Changes to the PI that result from TGA safety monitoring activities may:
- narrow indications
- add or modify specific sections, such as:
- contraindications
- warnings or precautions
- use in fertility, pregnancy and lactation
- use in special populations
- adverse effects.
It is important for prescribers and other health professionals to be aware of safety-related PI changes, as they may require you to take actions or do things differently, such as:
- counsel patients on identified risks
- undertake special monitoring or precautions
- in some instances select alternate medications.
Significant PI changes are often supported by distribution of a Dear Health Care Professional Letter on the issue, which are produced by the medicine’s sponsor and sent directly to health professionals.
We will publish a Medicines Safety Update (MSU) article detailing recent safety-related PI updates each month, although this may not include all safety-related updates. We will continue to publish MSU articles for critical safety issues or topics of special interest.
The below medicines are generally innovator brands (generic brands may be included in some circumstances). Generic brands containing the same active ingredients as the medicines below are required to align with the safety information in the innovator’s PI and will be updated accordingly.
To view the full PI for each listing, click on the name of the product in the ‘Brand/trade name’ column. A ‘Summary table of changes’ appears at the end of the PI. If the TGA has published any further risk communication, such as a safety alert or stand-alone Medicines Safety Update MSU article, it will be linked to in the ‘Safety issue’ column.
Active ingredients |
Brand name Sponsor |
PI updates (sections updated and summary of key information) |
Date of approval |
---|---|---|---|
abacavir sulfate, lamuvidine, zidovudine |
ViiV Healthcare Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
|
1 August 2022 |
acetazolamide |
Arrow Pharma Pty Ltd |
4.3 – Contraindications
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.5 – Interactions with other medicines and other forms of interactions
4.6 – Fertility, pregnancy and lactation
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects) |
27 June 2022 |
Ad26.COV2.S |
Janssen-Cilag Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
|
17 August 2022 |
American house dust mite extract and European house dust mite extract |
Seqirus Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use 4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
21 July 2022 |
amlodipine besilate and telmisartan |
Twynsta and Pritor/ Amlodipine Boehringer Ingelheim Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
4.9 – Overdose
6.4 – Special Precautions for Storage |
8 July 2022 |
amoxicillin and clavulanic acid |
Aspen Pharmacare Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use 4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
18 July 2022 |
apomorphine hydrochloride hemihydrate |
Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd |
4.2 – Dose and method of administration 4.3 – Contraindications
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.5 – Interactions with other medicines and other forms of interactions
4.7 – Effects on ability to drive and use machines
|
4 July 2022 |
azacitidine |
Aspen Pharmacare Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use 4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
19 July 2022 |
betamethasone valerate |
Organon Pharma Pty Ltd |
4.6 – Fertility, pregnancy and lactation
|
21 July 2022 |
bimatoprost |
Allergan Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use 4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
1 August 2022 |
bimatoprost and timolol maleate |
Allergan Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use 4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
2 August 2022 |
capecitabine |
Sandoz Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
|
5 July 2022 |
capecitabine |
Viatris Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
|
15 July 2022 |
capecitabine |
Dr Reddy's Laboratories Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
|
5 August 2022 |
carboplatin |
Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.5 – Interactions with other medicines and other forms of interactions 4.6 – Fertility, pregnancy and lactation 4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
29 August 2022 |
ChAdOx1-S |
AstraZeneca Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
25 July 2022 |
ciclosporin |
Seqiruis Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
|
17 August 2022 |
ciprofloxacin |
Sandoz Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
25 July 2022 |
ciprofloxacin |
Generic Health Pty Ltd
Avallon Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd
Apotex Pty Ltd
Alphapharm Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
4 August 2022 |
cladribine |
Merck Healthcare Pty Ltd |
4.6 – Fertility, pregnancy and lactation
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
14 July 2022 |
clomifene citrate |
Sanofi-Aventis Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
4 August 2022 |
clopidogrel hydrogen sulfate |
Sanofi-Aventis Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
|
19 July 2022 |
dapagliflozin |
AstraZeneca Pty Ltd |
4.5 – Interactions with other medicines and other forms of interactions
|
30 August 2022 |
dasatinib |
Bristol-Myers Squibb Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
15 July 2022 |
dimethyl fumarate |
Biogen Australia Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
26 July 2022 |
dinutuximab beta |
Link Medical Products Pty Ltd T/A Link Pharmaceuticals |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
31 August 2022 |
dobutamine hydrochloride |
Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd |
4.3 – Contraindications
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.5 – Interactions with other medicines and other forms of interactions
4.6 – Fertility, pregnancy and lactation 4.7 – Effects on ability to drive and use machines 4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects) |
14 July 2022 |
elasomeran |
Moderna Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
29 August 2022 |
enzalutamide |
Astellas Pharma Australia Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
4 August 2022 |
eptinezumab |
Lundbeck Australia Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
27 June 2022 |
ethosuximide |
Clinect Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
23 August 2022 |
fluconazole |
Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.5 – Interactions with other medicines and other forms of interactions
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
1 August 2022 |
fluorouracil |
Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
|
4 August 2022 |
Fluticasone furoate with umeclidinium and vilanterol |
GlaxoSmithKline Australia Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
16 August 2022 |
gemeprost |
Sanofi-Aventis Australia Pty Ltd |
4.3 – Contraindications
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
2 August 2022 |
hydrochlorothiazide and enalapril |
Organon Pharma Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
23 August 2022 |
hydrochlorothiazide and olmesartan |
Organon Pharma Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
23 August 2022 |
hydrochlorothiazide irbesartan |
Sanofi-aventis Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
22 August 2022 |
hydrochlorothiazide, olmesartan and amlodipine |
Organon Pharma Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
23 August 2022 |
hydroxycarbamide (hydroxyurea) |
Link Medical Products Pty Ltd T/A Link Pharmaceuticals |
4.6 – Fertility, pregnancy and lactation
|
26 August 2022 |
hydroxychloroquine sulfate |
Sanofi-Aventis Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use 4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use 4.5 – Interactions with other medicines and other forms of interactions 4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
21 July 2022 |
imatinib |
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Australia Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
27 July 2022 |
ipratropium bromide monohydrate |
Boehringer Ingelheim Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
|
17 August 2022 |
irbesartan |
Sanofi-aventis Australia Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
19 August 2022 |
lamivudine/ zidovudine |
ViiV Healthcare Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
|
22 July 2022 |
levothyroxine |
Aspen Pharma Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
|
14 July 2022 |
linezolid |
Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
|
22 June 2022 |
liraglutide |
Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd |
4.2 – Dose and method of administration 4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
24 August 2022 |
meropenem |
Juno Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
19 August 2022 |
methadone hydrochloride |
Biomed Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use 4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects) 4.9 – Overdose
|
15 August 2022 |
mifepristone |
MS Health Pty Ltd |
4.3 – Contraindications
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
10 August 2022 |
mifepristone and misoprostol (composite pack) |
MS Health Pty Ltd |
4.3 – Contraindications
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.6 – Fertility, pregnancy and lactation
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
23 August 2022 |
naltrexone/ bupropion |
iNova Pharmaceuticals (Australia) Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use 4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
31 August 2022 |
olmesartan medoxomil |
Organon Pharma Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
15 August 2022 |
olmesartan medoxomil and amlodipine besilate |
Sevikar/ Olmesartan/Amlodipine-MYL Organon Pharma Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
15 August 2022 |
pantoprazole (as sodium sesquihydrate) |
Takeda Pharmaceuticals Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
10 August 2022 |
pegvaliase |
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Australia Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
9 August 2022 |
pembrolizumab |
Merck Sharp & Dohme (Australia) Pty Ltd |
5.1 – Pharmacodynamic properties
|
19 August 2022 |
quinapril |
Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
24 August 2022 |
quinapril hydrochloride/ hydrochlorothiazide |
Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
22 July 2022 |
raltegravir |
Merck Sharp & Dohme (Australia) Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use 4.5 – Interactions with other medicines and other forms of interactions
|
18 July 2022 |
ramucirumab |
Eli Lilly Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
|
23 August 2022 |
ranibizumab (rbe) |
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Australia Pty Ltd |
4.6 – Fertility, pregnancy and lactation
|
4 July 2022 |
ravuizumab |
Alexion Pharmaceuticals Australasia Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
12 July 2022 |
rosuvastatin calcium |
A Menarini Australia Pty Ltd |
4.5 – Interactions with other medicines and other forms of interactions
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
29 August 2022 |
secukinumab |
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Australia Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
19 August 2022 |
selexipag |
Janssen-Cilag Pty Ltd |
4.2 – Dose and method of administration
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects
|
26 August 2022 |
sodium valproate |
Sanofi-Aventis Australia Pty Ltd |
4.3 – Contraindications
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.5 – Interactions with other medicines and other forms of interactions
4.6 – Fertility, pregnancy and lactation 4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects) 4.9 – Overdose 5.2 – Pharmacokinetic properties |
30 August 2022 |
spironolactone |
Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd |
4.5 – Interactions with other medicines and other forms of interactions
|
27 July 2022 |
sulfamethoxazole trimethoprim |
DBL Sulfamethoxazole 400 Mg and Trimethoprim 80 Mg Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use 4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
23 August 2022 |
telmisartan and hydrochlorothiazide |
Boehringer Ingelheim Pty Ltd |
4.2 – Dose and method of administration
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
4.5 – Interactions with other medicines and other forms of interactions 4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
4.9 – Overdose
6.4 – Special Precautions for Storage |
8 July 2022 |
tocilizumab |
Roche Products Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
30 August 2022 |
trastuzumab emtansine |
Aspen Pharmacare Australia Pty Ltd |
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use
|
18 July 2022 |
tretinoin |
Pharmaco Australia Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
13 July 2022 |
trihexyphenidyl (benzhexol) hydrochloride |
Arrow Pharma Pty Ltd |
4.5 – Interactions with other medicines and other forms of interactions
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
15 July 2022 |
vildagliptin |
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Australia Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
27 July 2022 |
vildagliptin/ metformin hydrochloride |
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Australia Pty Ltd |
4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
|
21 July 2022 |
zopiclone |
Pharmacor Pty Ltd |
4.1 – Therapeutic indications 4.2 – Dose and method of administration
4.4 – Special warnings and precautions for use 4.6 – Fertility, pregnancy and lactation 4.8 – Adverse effects (undesirable effects)
6.5 – Nature and contents of container |
30 August 2022 |
What to report? You don't need to be certain, just suspicious!
The TGA encourages the reporting of all suspected adverse reactions to medicines, including vaccines, over-the-counter medicines, herbal, traditional or alternative remedies.
We particularly request reports of:
- all suspected reactions to new medicines (look for the Black Triangle in PI and CMI documents - this symbol identifies medicines that are new or being used differently)
- all suspected medicines interactions
- suspected reactions causing death, admission to hospital or prolongation of hospitalisation, increased investigations or treatment, or birth defects.
Reports may be submitted:
- online at www.tga.gov.au
- by fax to 02 6232 8392
- by email to ADR.Reports@tga.gov.au
For more information about reporting, visit www.tga.gov.au or contact the TGA's Pharmacovigilance and Special Access Branch ADR.Reports@tga.gov.au.
Disclaimer
Medicines Safety Update is aimed at health professionals. It is intended to provide practical information to health professionals on medicine safety, including emerging safety issues. The information in Medicines Safety Update is necessarily general and is not intended to be a substitute for a health professional's judgment in each case, taking into account the individual circumstances of their patients. Reasonable care has been taken to ensure that the information is accurate and complete at the time of publication. The Australian Government gives no warranty that the information in this document is accurate or complete, and shall not be liable for any loss whatsoever due to negligence or otherwise arising from the use of or reliance on this document.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2022
This work is copyright. You may reproduce the whole or part of this work in unaltered form for your own personal use or, if you are part of an organisation, for internal use within your organisation, but only if you or your organisation do not use the reproduction for any commercial purpose and retain this copyright notice and all disclaimer notices as part of that reproduction. Apart from rights to use as permitted by the Copyright Act 1968 or allowed by this copyright notice, all other rights are reserved and you are not allowed to reproduce the whole or any part of this work in any way (electronic or otherwise) without first being given specific written permission from the Commonwealth to do so. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights are to be sent to the TGA Copyright Officer, Therapeutic Goods Administration, PO Box 100, Woden ACT 2606 or emailed to tga.copyright@tga.gov.au.
For the latest safety information from the TGA, subscribe to the TGA Safety Information email list via the TGA website.
For correspondence or further information about Medicines Safety Update, contact the TGA's Pharmacovigilance and Special Access Branch at ADR.Reports@tga.gov.au.