‘Life-saving’ drug for people with opioid dependency to be pulled from Australia by end of year
Summary
A drug used to treat opioid dependency, called Sublocade, will be removed from the Australian market by the end of 2024. The US company Indivior said this decision is due to business reasons, which has raised concern among doctors and pharmacists about patients losing access to this important medicine.Key Facts
- Sublocade is a long-acting monthly injection that helps people with opioid dependency and was added to Australia’s subsidy program (PBS) in 2020.
- Indivior, the US company making Sublocade, will stop selling and marketing it in Australia from December 31, 2024.
- Doctors say Sublocade is better for some patients than alternatives because it lasts longer and helps them feel more stable.
- Another drug, Zoladex, used for breast cancer and endometriosis, has also been recently removed from the Australian market for similar business reasons.
- The Australian government said it cannot force companies to keep selling these medicines but wants to keep medicines safe, effective, and affordable.
- Changes in US drug pricing policies are affecting how pharmaceutical companies price and sell medicines worldwide, including in Australia.
- President Donald Trump has supported US policies aiming to pay the same or less for drugs than other countries, which some say causes companies to withdraw from smaller markets.
- Experts expect more drugs might be pulled from Australia because companies are adjusting their strategies due to global pricing pressures.
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