Company’s plan to stop selling long-acting opioid substitution treatment in Australia ‘a disaster’
The move is the latest in the scrap between pharmaceutical companies and the government over PBS prices, says Professor John Saunders.
Drug maker Indivior has caught doctors off guard by announcing its PBS-listed depot buprenorphine injection will be withdrawn from Australia in December.
Available as 100mg/0.5mL and 300mg/0.5mL, Indivior’s Sublocade has a longer half-life than Buvidal — the only other long-acting injectable buprenorphine brand sold in Australia.
“This planned discontinuation reflects operational and commercial considerations and is not related to any new safety, efficacy or quality concern identified for Sublocade,” Indivior wrote in a letter to stakeholders on Monday.
“Patients should be directed to speak with their treating healthcare professional about their individual circumstances, ongoing treatment and, where appropriate, transition planning.”
