Candesartan (Candestar) all strengths: Supply issue
Due to issues at the factory, supply of candesartan tablets will run out.
2 July 2026 | Supply update
There is limited supply of all strengths of candesartan. The supplier is receiving small shipments of the alternative brands and releasing them as soon as they can. In particular, supply of the 4 mg may be very limited.
Pharmacies may receive less supply than usual.
We appreciate how disruptive supply issues can be. We are working closely with the supplier to improve the availability of candesartan.
Affected product
Due to issues at the manufacturing plant, the supplier has limited stock of candesartan tablets. Small shipments are coming in all the time. There may be times when people cannot get their usual strength of tablets.
Schedule listings for candesartan(external link)
Alternative brands listed
Pharmac has funded multiple different brands of candesartan to ensure people can continue to access treatment. Different brands will be available from the supplier at different times.
Same active ingredient, different packaging
These products have the same active ingredient in the same quantity and is designed to work in the body the same way as the Candestar brand. They have all been approved for use in other countries, just not New Zealand.
Some brands have a labelling exemption from Medsafe, meaning they can be prescribed and dispensed the same as an approved medicine. Some brands have not been reviewed by Medsafe, they need to be prescribed and dispensed in line with section 29A of the Medicines Act.
More about unapproved medicines | Healthify NZ(external link)
We're sorry
We know that changing brands often is not ideal. The supplier and Pharmac are doing our best to minimise the impact of this issue while making sure you can continue to access treatment.
What to expect
Your pharmacist may dispense one of the following brands to you. You might get:
- get a bottle rather than your usual blister-packed tablets
- boxes or blister packs labelled in another language
- a sticker on the box of candesartan with the New Zealand details of the supplier.
Pictured are some of the brands you might get over the coming months. If you have any questions, please talk to your pharmacist or the person who prescribed your candesartan.
Prescribing and supplying an unapproved medicine
Section 29A of the Medicines Act 1981 allows for medicines that are not Medsafe approved to be prescribed and supplied to people when there is supply issue affecting the registered brand.
We know supplying an unapproved medicine is not ideal. In this case, however, this will allow people to continue to access an appropriate treatment.
We apologise for any inconvenience this causes.
What patients need to know about unapproved medicines – Healthify website(external link)
- Candesartan supply issue | June 2026 [PDF 79 KB]
- Candesartan supply issue Apr 26 [PDF 223 KB]
Expected resupply
We expect Candestar brand candesartan to be available again by the end of 2026.
Who to contact
If you have questions about this issue, email enquiry@pharmac.govt.nz
Please include as much information as you can about the product (presentation, brand, pharmacode) and who your wholesaler is.
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