Risperidone (0.5 mg and 2 mg tablets): Supply issue

Supply issue Active

Due to an issue at the factory, there is a supply issue affecting Risperidone (Teva) tablets 0.5 mg and 2 mg tablets.

Affected product

Due to an issue at the manufacturer, there is a supply issue affecting the following products:

Brand Presentation Pharmacode Subsidy Measure/Qty
Risperidone (Teva) Tab 0.5 mg 2466899 $2.17 per 60
Risperidone (Teva) Tab 2 mg 2466910 $2.72 per 60

Schedule listing: Risperidone(external link)

The other presentations of risperidone are not affected by this supply issue.

Information for people who take risperidone

To make sure you can continue to access funded treatment, Pharmac has funded a different brand of risperidone, Risperidone Sandoz. 

Risperidone Sandoz is a different brand of the same medicine. It contains the same active ingredients in the same quantities as your usual brand. The tablets and packaging will look different.  

While this brand has not been approved for use in New Zealand, it has been approved for use in other countries. Your prescriber will discuss this with you before they prescribe it.

More information about unapproved medicines | Healthify website(external link)

0.5 mg risperidone tablets are red and oval, 2 mg tablets are apricot and oval with a 2 on them. The boxes are white with blue writing and a big S..

Alternative funded from 1 June 2026

We have funded Risperidone Sandoz from 1 June 2026. This product is not Medsafe approved so will need to be prescribed and dispensed in line with section 29A of the Medicines Act.

Brand: Risperidone Sandoz

  • Presentation: Tab 0.5 mg
  • Pharmacode: 2693143
  • Subsidy: $4.01
  • Measure/Qty: per 60
  • Presentation: Tab 2 mg
  • Pharmacode: 2693178
  • Subsidy: $5.38
  • Measure/Qty: per 60

The alternate product for the 0.5 mg has an expiry date in September. Further stock, with a later expiry, will arrive in New Zealand in June 2026. 

Resupply of Teva product 

We are working with Teva to understand when the Medsafe-approved product will be available again.

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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