Alerts/Letters
Recalls Notices are located on a different page - click here to view.
Pharmacovigilance activities
Pharmacovigilance activities for anti viral medicines used to treat influenza during the pandemic – Electronic reporting tool is available
Cough and Cold Medicines
Medical Device Safety Alert
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
- Photos of unapproved Samoan and Tongan medicines distributed in New Zealand
Cough and Cold Products
Discontinuation of supply of Graseby MS16A and MS26 syringe drivers
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
- Photos of unapproved Samoan Pharmacy products distributed in New Zealand
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
Health warning - Erectile dysfunction / sexual enhancement 'herbal' products
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
Reporting of Incidents involving Active Implantable Devices and their Accessories - March 2008
Anti-epileptics and Suicidality - February 2008
Planned changes to the Dietary Supplements Regulations 1985 and regulatory compliance - December 2007
Medsafe advice on aprotinin - Oct 2007
Toothpaste test results update - September 2007
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
- Photos of Toothpastes found to contain diethylene glycol (DEG)
Prexige (lumiracoxib) and risk of hepatotoxicity - Aug 2007
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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 click here)
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)
- Photos of Dr Cool Toothpaste
- Director-General's Statement Under Section 98 of the Medicines Act 1981 (Excel Toothpaste)
- Photos of Excel Toothpaste
Unapproved prescription and pharmacist-only medicines from China - April 2006
- Director-General's Statement Under Section 98 of the Medicines Act 1981
- Photos of Unapproved prescription and pharmacist-only medicines from China
Malfunction of a Cryosurgical Instrument - Dec 2005
COX-2 inhibitors - April 2005
- Fax sent to doctors and pharmacists (29 April)
- Ministry of Health media release: Stringent conditions for COX-2 inhibitors
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
- Photos of products containing sildenafil
- Photo of product containing tadalafil
Antidepressants - October 2004
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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 text on screen
- 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
- to download Adobe Acrobat Reader click here)
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