date: 19/09/2024
Because of a delay in the planned deliveries of the Zypadhera medicinal product (intramuscular (IM) olanzapine with prolonged disease) by the Cheplapharm Registration company, supplies in Belgium are limited. The availability of these medicinal products is also limited in other European countries. Therefore, the experts of the Unavailability Task Force update the previous recommendations.
Recommendations for doctors (specialists)
- The treatment of new patients must preferably start with oral olanzapine, with another oral antipsychotic or with other products that have prolonged release such as risperidone, paliperidone or aripiprazol.
- For patients who are now already using Zypadhera and for whom an injection is planned in the coming weeks, only one pack per prescription should be required. In this time of critical shortage, patients will only be able to obtain Zypadhera in an hospital pharmacy, for one month of treatment at most.
Recommendations for (hospital) pharmacists
- During this time of limited availability, only hospital pharmacies will be allowed to order and deliver Zypadhera. Hospital pharmacists are requested to deliver Zypadhera for a maximum of one month of treatment.
- Pharmacies open to the public will temporarily be unable to take orders for Zypadhera. However, any remaining stocks present in the pharmacies can of course still be delivered according to the same principle: delivering Zypadhera for a maximum period of one month.
- Only pharmacies open to the public that supply drugs to prisons, forensic psychiatric centres and orthoagogical centres will temporarily still be able to place orders through a wholesaler-distributor for delivery to these centres.
Recommendations for patients
- For the time being, Zypadhera will remain available through a hospital pharmacy only. You are advised to contact a hospital in advance, preferably the hospital to which your psychiatrist or treating doctor is affiliated. You will find the contact information of the hospital pharmacy or of the reception on the website of the hospital in question. Make yourself known to the hospital as a patient who needs to collect Zypadhera temporarily from the hospital pharmacy.
- Your doctor will prescribe a maximum of one pack per prescription. The hospital pharmacist will give you Zypadhera for a maximum of one month each time.
- We understand that these measures will require extra effort on your part in these difficult times. However, we hope that they will enable as many patients as possible to obtain their medication when their doctor considers Zypadhera to be their only therapeutic option.
Permanent follow-up by the FAMHP
The FAMHP is closely monitoring the situation and the delivery planning, it remains in regular contact with the company, its distribution partner and the European Medicines Agency (EMA).