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Alerts/Letters

Recalls Notices are located on a different page - click here to view.

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

• Photos

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

Planned changes to the Dietary Supplements Regulations 1985 and regulatory compliance - December 2007

• Letter sent to Industry

Discontinuation of supply of Graseby MS16A and MS26 syringe drivers - Nov 2007

• Letter sent to Industry

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
• Photos of Toothpastes found to contain diethylene glycol (DEG)

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 click here)

• Media statement 21 Aug 2007

• Updated Prexige data sheet

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

• Safety Alert on the Malfunction of a Cryosurgical Instrument

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

• 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