Cetirizine: Your brand is changing

Brand change Active

Cetirizine oral liquid 1 mg per ml, 200 ml is changing brands from Histaclear, supplied by AFT, to Cetirizine Hayfever & Allergy Relief, supplied by Noumed.

Noumed Cetirizine Hayfever & Allergy Relief oral liquid label for a 200 ml bottle. White upper section shows the brand and medicine name. Green lower section states banana flavour, rapid acting, non-drowsy and 12-hour allergy relief..
Noumed Cetirizine Hayfever & Allergy Relief oral liquid label for a 200 ml bottle.

People who take Cetirizine oral liquid

Sometime between 1 November 2026 and 1 April 2027, your pharmacist will dispense Noumed brand Cetirizine Hayfever & Allergy Relief in place of your usual Histaclear (AFT) brand. 

Has anything changed? 

Noumed brand Cetirizine Hayfever & Allergy Relief has the same active ingredient, in the same amount. It is designed to work in your body the same way. 

The new brand has the same banana flavour. Like Histaclear (AFT), Noumed brand Cetirizine Hayfever & Allergy Relief is considered alcohol, gluten and sugar-free. The new brand bottle comes with a measuring cup attached to the cap.

Noumed brand Cetirizine Hayfever & Allergy Relief has been approved by Medsafe as meeting New Zealand standards of quality, safety, and effectiveness.

Why is this happening?

This is a tender brand change. Every year Pharmac runs a tender process to create competition among suppliers to supply many medicines used by New Zealanders. The tender helps Pharmac manage the costs of medicines. Any savings we make are returned to the medicines budget to help pay for new medicines.

Pharmacists

Histaclear (AFT) brand oral liquid will not be delisted until 1 April 2027. Allowing time to dispense and claim any remaining stock of Histaclear (AFT) before moving to Noumed.

Noumed brand will be listed from 1 November 2026.

Noumed Cetirizine oral liquid

The new brand, Noumed Cetirizine oral liquid 1 mg per ml, 200 ml will be listed (funded) from 1 November 2026. 

  • Chemical: Cetirizine hydrochloride
  • Brand: Noumed
  • Pharmacode: 2739933
  • Subsidy: $2.64
  • Measure / Qty: per 200 ml

Key dates

  • 1 September 2026 | Price and subsidy of Histaclear (AFT) changed from $3.00 to $5.75.
  • 1 November 2026 | Cetirizine Hayfever & Allergy Relief (Noumed) 200 ml listed (funded).
  • 1 April 2027 | Cetirizine Hayfever & Allergy Relief (Noumed) has principal supply status and Histaclear (AFT) delisted (unfunded).

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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