Summary
- All strengths of Ordine oral liquid are now available.
- All strengths of Oxynorm and Oxycodone BNM capsules are now available.
- MS Mono, Sevredol, Dilaudid and Jurnista have been discontinued; alternatives are available.
During 2023 and 2024, the Australian community was affected by the shortages and discontinuations of several oral opioid medicines.
In response to this, we convened a Medicine Shortages Action Group to discuss the management of the situation and develop advice for patients, prescribers and pharmacists. We thank the members of this group for their input throughout the shortages and discontinuations.
The shortages of oral morphine and oxycodone products have now resolved:
- All strengths of Ordine oral liquid (1 mg/mL, 2 mg/mL, 5 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL) are now available.
- All strengths of Oxynorm and Oxycodone BNM capsules are now available.
Discontinued medicines and available alternatives
- MS Mono (morphine sulfate pentahydrate) modified-release capsules have been discontinued
- Kapanol (morphine sulfate pentahydrate) modified-release capsules are still available.
- MS Contin (morphine sulfate pentahydrate) modified-release tablets are still available.
- Sevredol (morphine sulfate pentahydrate) immediate-release tablets have been discontinued
- Anamorph (morphine sulphate) immediate-release 30 mg tablets are still available.
- Dilaudid (hydromorphone) 1 mg/mL oral liquid was discontinued in August 2021
- Overseas-registered hydromorphone oral liquid products are approved for use in Australia. You can find product and ordering information on our Section 19A approvals database (search for ‘hydromorphone’). Availability of hydromorphone oral liquid is limited globally, and supply of overseas alternatives is intermittent.
- Jurnista (hydromorphone) prolonged-release tablets were discontinued in April 2023
- Alternatives may be available under the Special Access Scheme, which allows prescribers to apply for use of unregistered products for individual patients.
Information for patients and their carers
If you or someone you care for takes an oral opioid product that has been discontinued and you are concerned about ongoing treatment with this medicine, we recommend you talk to the health professional who prescribes it for you.
Information for prescribers
Talk to your patients who are taking any of the oral opioid products that have been discontinued about an alternative treatment option.
If you are switching a patient to an alternative opioid medicine, you should take care when selecting the starting dose and dosage intervals to reduce the risk of dosing errors and patient harm. You may need to refer your patient to a palliative care or pain specialist if you are unfamiliar with this process.
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care has developed resources for prescribers: Conserving oral opioid medicines: Strategies and safety considerations for prescribers.
Information for pharmacists
Be aware that some overseas-registered substitute medicines may contain different excipients or formulations to the discontinued product. You should refer to the package leaflet or Dear Healthcare Professional Letter supplied with the substitute product to ensure it is suitable for a patient.
If a prescriber has switched a patient to an alternative opioid medicine, be alert to the starting dose and dosage intervals stated to reduce the risk of dosing errors and patient harm. Patients may need to be referred to a palliative care or pain specialist in some cases.
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care has developed resources for pharmacists: Conserving oral opioid medicines: Strategies and safety considerations for pharmacists.
General information
We will continue to monitor the availability of oral opioid medicines and work with the sponsors and the Medicine Shortages Action Group to update this advice when needed. We encourage you to check this webpage and the medicine shortage reports database for updates about availability.
Page history
Minor updates to remove information that is no longer current.
The shortage of Oxycodone BNM 10 mg capsules and all other shortages of oral morphine products have resolved.
Notification of resolution of Ordine oral liquid and Oxycodone BNM 5 mg and 20 mg capsules shortages. The shortage of Oxycodone BNM 10 mg capsules is expected to continue until mid August 2025.
This page was renamed (it was previously called 'About the shortage and discontinuation of oral opioid products') and the information from the 'About the shortage of Ordine (morphine) oral liquid' was added and that page was deleted. This consolidation was done to simplify the way the information was presented since many of the shortages have been resolved.
Shortage of Ordine 10 mg/mL extended to 1 April 2025.
The shortage of Ordine 5 mg/mL is resolved.
The shortage of Ordine 2 mg/mL is resolved.
The shortage of Oxynorm 5 mg and 10 mg capsules is now resolved.
Ordine 1 mg/mL resolved
Ordine shortage extended
Update due to Oxynorm being reinstated in Australia and Ordine shortage extension.
Section 19A approvals for Jurnista hydromorphone prolonged release tablets have expired. Alternatives may be available under Special Access Scheme.
Updated to include information about the change in market authorisation for Ordine oral morphine liquid products
Minor updates to remove information that is no longer current.
The shortage of Oxycodone BNM 10 mg capsules and all other shortages of oral morphine products have resolved.
Notification of resolution of Ordine oral liquid and Oxycodone BNM 5 mg and 20 mg capsules shortages. The shortage of Oxycodone BNM 10 mg capsules is expected to continue until mid August 2025.
This page was renamed (it was previously called 'About the shortage and discontinuation of oral opioid products') and the information from the 'About the shortage of Ordine (morphine) oral liquid' was added and that page was deleted. This consolidation was done to simplify the way the information was presented since many of the shortages have been resolved.
Shortage of Ordine 10 mg/mL extended to 1 April 2025.
The shortage of Ordine 5 mg/mL is resolved.
The shortage of Ordine 2 mg/mL is resolved.
The shortage of Oxynorm 5 mg and 10 mg capsules is now resolved.
Ordine 1 mg/mL resolved
Ordine shortage extended
Update due to Oxynorm being reinstated in Australia and Ordine shortage extension.
Section 19A approvals for Jurnista hydromorphone prolonged release tablets have expired. Alternatives may be available under Special Access Scheme.
Updated to include information about the change in market authorisation for Ordine oral morphine liquid products