Pharmaceutical company Alphapharm has told us that Zimstat (simvastatin) 5 mg tablets will be in shortage between 3 December 2025 and 23 January 2026. Although other brands and strengths of simvastatin will remain available, Zimstat 5 mg is currently the only tablet of that strength supplied in Australia.
To help patients have continuous access to this medicine, we have made a Serious Scarcity Substitution Instrument (SSSI) that starts on 5 December 2025. The SSSI allows a pharmacist to dispense an equivalent quantity of simvastatin 10 mg tablets, if appropriate, without a new prescription.
Simvastatin is used:
- as an adjunct to diet for treatment of hypercholesterolaemia
- in patients at high risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) (with or without hypercholesterolaemia) including patients with diabetes, history of stroke or other cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vessel disease, or with existing CHD to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, major cardiovascular events including stroke, and hospitalisation due to angina pectoris
- as an adjunct to diet in adolescent boys and girls who are at least one year post-menarche, 10-17 years of age, with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HeFH).
For detailed information about the shortage, the SSSI and important factors when considering a substitution, visit About the shortage of Zimstat (simvastatin 5 mg) tablets.
For more information about SSSIs see Substituting scarce medicines and Serious Scarcity Substitution Instruments (SSSIs).