Paradex And Capadex To Be Withdrawn From New Zealand Market
Please attribute this statement to Dr Stewart Jessamine, Group Manager, Medsafe
All medicines containing dextropropoxyphene will be withdrawn from the New Zealand market after a review of the safety
and efficacy of these medicines showed that their risks outweighed their possible benefits.
Medicines containing dextropropoxyphene are analgesics used to treat chronic moderate pain. Two medicines containing
dextropropoxyphene are currently approved for use in New Zealand – Paradex tablets and Capadex capsules.
After reviewing the available evidence, the Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee (MARC), which advises the Minister of
Health on medicines safety issues, concluded that these medicines:
• were no better at treating pain than taking full dose paracetamol.
• could cause additional side effects to those caused by paracetamol used at recommended doses.
•were dangerous in overdose, or if they were taken with alcohol.
Medsafe Group Manager Dr Stewart Jessamine said the withdrawal will be gradual to allow time for the safe transfer of
patients to alternative treatments.
“Medsafe is working to implement these recommendations and ensure that the withdrawal is as smooth as possible. The
withdrawal will not be immediate to allow time for patients to transfer to alternative treatments,” Dr Jessamine
explained.
Medicines containing dextropropoxyphene have been withdrawn in several other countries, most notably the United Kingdom.
The European Medicines Agency and Singapore have recently announced that they are also withdrawing these medicines.
When dextropropoxyphene was withdrawn in the United Kingdom it was replaced with other pain killers, mostly by
paracetamol alone, codeine alone, or a combination of codeine and paracetamol.
Any patient who is currently being treated with Paradex or Capadex should continue to take their medicines. Those
patients who regularly take these medicines will need to see their GP to discuss alternative treatment options.
As with all medicines, consumers and healthcare professionals are encouraged to report all suspected adverse reactions
to the Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring.
ENDS