Famotidine (20 and 40 mg): New look

The supplier of famotidine is changing

The medicine being supplied is still made by the same manufacturer, Hovid. There is no change for the 20 mg tablets. The 40 mg tablets will have a new look box and blister pack. 

Your famotidine contains the same amount of active ingredient and the same inactive ingredients. 

Information for pharmacists

40 mg tablets new Pharmacode, new subsidy

The 40 mg tablets will have a new pharmacode which will be listed from 1 June 2025. 

Stock situation for 40 mg tablets

Supplies of the old 40 mg famotidine are running low but are likely to last until early June 2025. 

We ask hospital pharmacies start accessing the new 40 mg tablets as soon as possible (famotidine is listed as any brand in the HML). This helps reserve supply of the listed version until 1 June 2025.

20 mg tablets same Pharmacode new subsidy

The only difference for the 20 mg tablets is new lower subsidy from 1 September 2025. Supply may be constrained until early June as the incoming supplier waits for its first shipment to arrive.

Both presentations are still unapproved

The old Hovid famotidine was not Medsafe approved. At this stage, the new Hovid famotidine will also need to be supplied as an unapproved medicine. However, the new supplier, AFT, plans to register this product with Medsafe. 

Key dates

1 June 2025

• New Pharmacode and subsidy listed for the 40 mg tablet

1 September 2025

• 20 mg tablet: new subsidy listed 
• 40 mg tablet: old Pharmacode delisted

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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