Famotidine and Nizatidine Shortages 2023

This is an alert regarding Famotidine and Nizatidine, now both listed on the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) Medicine Shortage Reports Database (the Database).

All Famotidine is currently listed as “Unavailable” with an anticipated return-to-market date of 29 December 2023. Nizatidine has also been listed on the Database for several months, however, following an update on 23 August 2023, return-to-market dates have been extended, with the majority of Nizatidine not projected to return until 2 February 2024. While a few products are still listed as “Limited Availability”, this typically means the product is available on backorder at the request of healthcare professionals.

Please be reminded that shortage resolution dates can be reduced or extended, so it is useful to check for updates regularly. If you are or will be impacted by this, please take steps to ensure undisrupted access to suitable medications. 

Those impacted by the shortage are recommended to take the following steps: 

Notify your specialist

If you currently rely on Famotidine or Nizatidine, we urge you to promptly notify your specialist about the shortages either directly or through their reception team via phone or email. This proactive communication is vital in obtaining timely guidance on managing your medication needs until the shortages are resolved.

While some specialists may be able to approve a simple change from commercial to compounded medications via email or phone, appointments will likely be required to discuss moving to new medication or to authorise medications via the Personal Importation Scheme or Special Access Scheme.

For those who may find it helpful, TAMS has drafted two template emails to aid in promptly raising the matter of the shortage with your specialist:

• Template letter to specialist re Famotidine
• Template letter to specialist re Nizatidine

Disclaimer: Dates in these templates are accurate as of Monday, 4 September 2023. To ensure that your specialist receives the most current information, we strongly recommend verifying and updating any dates before sending correspondence to your specialist.”

Inform your General Practitioner (GP)

If direct communication with your specialist, including via their reception team, is not feasible, involving your GP may be an effective alternative. Your GP may be able to liaise with the specialist via phone or written correspondence to better establish what options are best suited in your individual circumstances. Recommendations might involve transitioning to non-H2 antagonist medications or compounded H2 antagonists.

Contact your pharmacy

If you have scripts/repeats remaining for Famotidine or Nizatidine, please engage with your Pharmacy to establish if adequate stock is available in-house or which can be ordered through suppliers and reserved for you to ensure that all repeats on your script can be filled.

Pricing for compounded medications

Please be reminded that compounding chemists are free to set and adjust their prices as they see fit. As such, we recommend seeking multiple quotes, including from interstate chemists. When you find an agreeable price, it can also be beneficial to ask if the chemist will “lock in” pricing for the duration of repeats on the script. Please note this is not required of chemists.

TAMS has compiled a list of compounding chemists from each region to assist individuals transitioning to compounded medication during the shortages to make multiple inquiries and ensure agreeable pricing.

New South Wales 

Queensland

Victoria

Western Australia

South Australia

Northern Territory 

Tasmania

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