\n
![\"Sublocade\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/attachment.aspx.jpeg\")
\n
\n The removal of Sublocade from Australia has surprised and disappointed GPs.
\n <\/p>\n
\n News<\/p>\n
\n Sublocade, used to treat people with opioid use disorder, will be removed from the PBS and all Australian shelves at the end of 2026 for commercial reasons.\u00a0
\n <\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n The removal of Sublocade from Australia has surprised and disappointed GPs.
\n
<\/p>\n
GPs working in addiction medicine have sounded the alarm after learning that Sublocade, described as a \u2018lifesaver\u2019 treatment for opioid use disorder, will be removed from Australian markets at the end of the year. Dr Wilson is already working on a guidance document around how to do the transfers from\u00a0Sublocade to other formulations. Log in below to join the conversation.<\/p>\n
newsGP weekly poll
\n\u00a0
\nMade by US-based pharmaceutical company Indivior, the medication is one of two long-acting, slow-release buprenorphine injections on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for opioid dependence treatment.
\n\u00a0
\nRepresentatives for the company confirmed the move to addiction medicine specialists last week, the latest in a series of disruptive events as commercial pressures on Australia\u2019s flagship prescription medicines program intensify.
\n\u00a0
\nIt follows the news of the forthcoming withdrawal of AstraZeneca\u2019s breast cancer and endometriosis medication Zoladex<\/a> from Australian shelves, and Eli Lilly\u2019s rejection of a PBS listing<\/a> for its tirzepatide medication to treat type 2 diabetes due to \u2018unrealistic\u2019\u00a0price\u00a0demands.
\n\u00a0
\nOn Wednesday, advocacy group MS Australia also warned two \u2018vital\u2019 treatments for patients living with multiple sclerosis, ocrelizumab and ofatumumab, risked being withdrawn<\/a> from the PBS due to \u2018government-driven policy-related price reduction\u2019.
\n\u00a0
\nFederal Health and Ageing Minister Mark Butler recently acknowledged a global medicines market \u2018in a state of enormous flux\u2019<\/a>, with policies such as the \u2018Most Favoured Nations\u2019 under President Donald Trump \u2018reshaping how companies think about pricing\u2019.
\n\u00a0
\nThe news of Sublocade\u2019s withdrawal comes after fresh data shows drug-induced deaths hitting their highest level yet<\/a>, with opioids the most common drug involved.
\n\u00a0
\nWhile another long-acting slow-release buprenorphine injection, Buvidal, remains available on the PBS, GPs have expressed deep concerns about the effect of Sublocade\u2019s withdrawal from the Australian market.
\n\u00a0
\nAmong them is Dr Simon Holliday, a GP and addiction medicine specialist based in Taree in New South Wales, who is currently prescribing Sublocade for around 25 of his patients.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018This is a really vulnerable population, and we\u2019ve got them incredibly stable with this medication,\u2019 he told newsGP.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018If they want to go away to visit family, they can have a month away, or if you give them a big dose they can have two months or even three months away, it\u2019s so safe.\u2019
\n\u00a0
\nWhile he is only weeks away from retirement, Dr Holliday feels compelled to raise the issue due to the impact he fears its removal may have. He has written to politicians including Minister Butler warning of the ramifications.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018There\u2019s going to be a lot of people who\u2019ll be destabilised,\u2019 he said.
\n\u00a0
\nAccording to PBS statistics<\/a>, the Sublocade 100 mg\/0.5 mL modified release injection was prescribed 15,553 times in the 12 months to the end of April 2026, with 26,827 prescriptions for the 300 mg\/1.5 mL medication during the same time.
\n\u00a0
\nA patient\u2019s view
\nDavid is based in Melbourne\u00a0and was first prescribed\u00a0Sublocade\u00a0shortly after it became available\u00a0on the PBS\u00a0in 2020<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u00a0
\nNow in his sixties, he has received various opioid use disorder treatments since becoming addicted to heroin more than two decades ago. He says medications caused him debilitating side effects of varying types, from tooth decay to severe respiratory issues, until he switched to Sublocade.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018I went on Sublocade and my life has turned a corner like you would not believe,\u2019 he told newsGP.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018It has been a lifesaver to the point where I forget that I\u2019m on the medication. I feel no different the day I have the injection as I do the day before it.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018It holds me brilliantly.\u2019
\n\u00a0
\nHe says the treatment, administered to him every four weeks, is the only one that has worked without serious side effects and has also helped him reduce anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications by around 25%.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018Since I\u2019ve been on Sublocade, my life has been getting better and better, and all the medication issues are gone,\u2019 he said.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018It\u2019s had a huge impact because I haven\u2019t been negatively impacted by my medication.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018I\u2019m seeing my grandkids more.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018My physical health\u2019s getting better and better and better and better, and my mental health is generally too \u2013 until yesterday when I found out about this.\u2019
\n\u00a0
\nDavid\u2019s GP, Dr Owen Harris, says the slow-release treatments have made a significant difference since they were listed on the PBS.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018Both Sublocade and Buvidal have been life-changing for many people, in the sense that they don\u2019t have to go into the pharmacy every day,\u2019 he told newsGP.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018They\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0have to be reminded of their substance use issues, they\u2019re\u00a0not seeing people that they\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0want to see.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018They can work, they can plan holidays, they can live their lives without the daily concerns of the buprenorphine and\u00a0they just feel better because the medication is much more stable.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018We are fortunate that we have Buvidal and that is an effective treatment, but Sublocade is definitely a preference for many of my patients and personally I do think it is a better option.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018It\u2019s going to be very challenging for many patients in terms of switching over.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018The risk is that people will relapse on heroin or other opiates.\u2019
\n\u00a0
\nDr Hester Wilson, Chair of RACGP Specific Interests Addiction\u00a0Medicine, called Indivior\u2019s decision to withdraw Sublocade from the Australian market \u2018terribly disappointing\u2019.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018I never thought something like this would happen,\u2019 she told newsGP.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018It\u2019s a brilliant medication, a lifesaving, highly effective treatment for people who\u2019ve been just getting on with their lives.\u2019<\/p>\n![\"Hester-Wilson-text.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Hester-Wilson-text.jpg.aspx.jpeg\" "\\"Hester-Wilson-text.jpg\\"")
\n\u00a0The decision took Dr Hester Wilson (above) by surprise.<\/p>\n
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018For us as GPs, we can advocate for this [decision to be reversed], I think we also need to put our energies into working with our patients gently over the next six months to find other options,\u2019 she said.
\n\u00a0
\nDr Harris strongly believes the price negotiations should be revisited.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018Given it\u2019s an area of medicine that doesn\u2019t necessarily get the attention it deserves and there\u2019s a lot of stigma, it\u2019s also important to make the economic argument that people on opioid replacement live healthy, productive lives and pay taxes,\u2019 he said.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018There\u2019s a very clear argument for the community to continue treatment and if it did cost more, then that would still be good economics as well as good medicine.\u2019
\n\u00a0
\nThe PBS currently lists Sublocade\u2019s<\/a> \u2018dispensed price for maximum quantity\u2019, which is the approved ex-manufacturer price and a 4% mark-up, at $395.84 per monthly dose. Publicly available figures on US health websites put the wholesale cost<\/a> in that country at more than US $2000 (AUD $2900)
\n\u00a0
\nThe Department of Health, Disability and Ageing said it is aware of Indivior\u2019s decision and that \u2018maintaining access to safe, effective and affordable medicines remains a priority\u2019.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018The Department recognises that any proposed discontinuation of a medicine can cause concern for patients and clinicians,\u2019 a spokesperson told newsGP.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018These are commercial decisions made by private companies, and the Australian Government cannot compel a company to continue supply.\u2019
\n\u00a0
\nIndivior confirmed a \u2018commercial decision\u2019 to withdraw Sublocade from Australia and said it intends to work with authorities and experts \u2018to ensure an orderly transition that minimises disruption\u2019.
\n\u00a0
\nA spokesperson said alternatives for the treatment of opioid dependence are widely available, including methadone and buprenorphine in a variety of formulations and brands.
\n\u00a0
\n\u2018Indivior is committed to maintaining sufficient supply of Sublocade to support patient continuity of care in Australia until the proposed last reimbursement claim date of 31 December 2026,\u2019 they told newsGP.<\/p>\n
\n buprenorphine<\/a> Indivior<\/a> opioid dependence<\/a> opioid substitution therapy<\/a> PBS<\/a> Sublocade<\/a>
\n<\/p>\n
\n Which 1 July change will have the biggest impact on you and your practice?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
News
Sublocade, used to treat people with opioid use disorder, will be removed from the PBS…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":524006,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[163,85,46,482],"class_list":["post-524005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-medication","tag-health","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-medication"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/524005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=524005"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/524005\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/524006"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=524005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=524005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=524005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}