About the supply of oral opioid products

Summary

• Ordine oral liquid 1 mg/mL, 2 mg/mL and 5 mg/mL are now available; we expect the 10 mg/mL strength to be available in May 2025.
• All strengths of Oxynorm capsules are now available.
• The shortage of some Oxycodone BNM capsules is continuing until June 2025.
• MS Mono, Sevredol, Dilaudid and Jurnista have been discontinued; alternatives are available.
• Read past alerts at our Oral opioids collection page. 

During 2023 and 2024, the Australian community was affected by the shortages and discontinuations of several oral opioid medicines. 

In response to this, we convened a Medicine Shortages Action Group to discuss the management of the situation and develop advice for patients, prescribers and pharmacists. We thank the members of this group for their input throughout the shortages and discontinuations. 

The shortages have largely resolved, and prescribers have adapted to the ongoing supply situation.

The information that follows describes the supply status of individual oral opioid products in Australia. Check the medicine shortage reports database - external site for the latest updates about the availability of specific products.

Ordine (morphine) oral liquid

Ordine 1 mg/mL, 2 mg/mL and 5 mg/mL strengths are now available. Arrotex Pharmaceuticals, who has taken over ownership of these products, is anticipating Ordine 10 mg/mL will return to supply in May 2025. 

We have approved an overseas-registered morphine oral liquid 10 mg/mL product (RA-MORPH, NZ) under section 19A of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989. You can find information, including sponsor contact details for orders, on our Section 19A approvals database.

Oxycodone capsules  

• Oxynorm – the previous disruption of supply has ended, and all strengths are now available. 
• Oxycodone BNM – the 5 mg capsules are now available; supply of the 10 mg and 20 mg capsules is expected to return in June 2025.

Discontinued medicines and available alternatives

• MS Mono (morphine sulfate pentahydrate) modified-release capsules have been discontinued 
  • Kapanol (morphine sulfate pentahydrate) modified-release capsules are still available
  • MS Contin (morphine sulfate pentahydrate) modified-release tablets are still available
• Sevredol (morphine sulfate pentahydrate) immediate-release tablets have been discontinued 
  • Anamorph (morphine sulphate) immediate-release 30 mg tablets are still available
• Dilaudid (hydromorphone) 1 mg/mL oral liquid was discontinued in August 2021
  • Overseas-registered hydromorphone oral liquid products are approved for use in Australia. You can find product and ordering information on our Section 19A approvals database (search for ‘Dilaudid’). Availability of hydromorphone oral liquid is limited globally, and supply of overseas alternatives is intermittent
• Jurnista (hydromorphone) prolonged-release tablets were discontinued in April 2023 
  • Alternatives may be available under the Special Access Scheme, which allows prescribers to apply for use of unregistered products for individual patients.

Information for patients and their carers

If you or someone you care for takes an oral opioid product that is in shortage or has been discontinued and you are concerned about ongoing treatment with this medicine, we recommend you talk to the health professional who prescribes it for you.

Information for prescribers

Talk to your patients who are taking any of the oral opioid products that have been discontinued or are in shortage about an alternative treatment option.

If you are switching a patient to an alternative opioid medicine, you should take care when selecting the starting dose and dosage intervals to reduce the risk of dosing errors and patient harm. You may need to refer your patient to a palliative care or pain specialist if you are unfamiliar with this process.

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care has developed resources for prescribers: Conserving oral opioid medicines: Strategies and safety considerations for prescribers - external site.

Information for pharmacists

Be aware that some overseas-registered substitute medicines may contain different excipients or formulations to the discontinued product. You should refer to the package leaflet or Dear Healthcare Professional Letter supplied with the substitute product to ensure it is suitable for a patient.

If you are dispensing a substitute overseas-registered medicine with original labelling and Product Information in another language, you must provide the English translations of the labelling and Product Information to the patient or carer. 

If a prescriber has switched a patient to an alternative opioid medicine, be alert to the starting dose and dosage intervals stated to reduce the risk of dosing errors and patient harm. Patients may need to be referred to a palliative care or pain specialist in some cases.

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care has developed resources for pharmacists: Conserving oral opioid medicines: Strategies and safety considerations for pharmacists - external site.

General information

We will continue to monitor the availability of oral opioid medicines and work with the sponsors and the Medicine Shortages Action Group to update this advice when needed. We encourage you to check this webpage and the medicine shortage reports database- external site - external site for updates about availability.